I compiled a list of perennials for nectar and host plants (see link). It has conditions listed for all plants. At the bottom of that page you will find these references:

Plant information taken from:

*http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake/pdf/chesapeakenatives.pdf
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping Chesapeake Bay
Watershed

**http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/infosheets/butterfliesandmoths.pdf
Using Native Plants to Attract Butterflies and Clearwing Moths in the Washington, D.C. Area and Virginia

For further reference:

http://home.earthlink.net/~drkilmer/Plantlist.html
Larval Hostplant List for Butterflies of the Washington, D.C. Area

http://www.wildflower.org/howto/
âÂÂHow to Articlesâ on gardening with native plants

Here is a link that might be useful: Native Perennial Host and Nectar Plants

The link below on Deer Resistant Butterfly Plants is from the Washington Area Butterfly Club, Gardening section.

http://washingtonareabutterflies.wordpress.com/gardening-for-butterflies/
Gardening for Butterflies

Here is a link that might be useful: Deer Resistant Butterfly Plants

False nettles love wet shade, as does spicebush.

Sherry

Thank you for the help. I have a spicebush growing in that bed-one of those little tiny plants I bought on eBay-and it is doing very well. I also have Viburnum, Ninebark, and Fothergilla. The deer like to eat Fothergilla, I have discovered, so I have had to put those in cages and hope they will eventually get big enough to withstand some nibbling. What I am really looking for our groundcovers for the front of the bed. Just how attractive is false nettle, anyway? Will it spread to cover or will I have to do endless weeding? I don't really care if the plants are butterfly friendly, although that obviously would be a plus, but I would like something native that will grow and thrive in deep shade and fill in, without being another fern-much as I like them! I am getting to the point of considering Woodruff, which is not a native but at least is not invasive, as far as I know. It's awful pretty, tooâ¦

This year I planted some Cimicifuga, which so far has not been touched by the deer. Has anyone tried Dolls' Eyes, the other Actaea? Or Aruncus--although that is a big plant.

I hope this isn't too OT. But I know there are some other folks on the forum who struggle with this issue too!
Liz

I don't know how much moisture Forget-Me-Nots can tolerate, but they would be beautiful scattered among ferns. Make sure you get the North American native myosotis rather than the Asian/Chinese variety, which is very invasive. Cimicifuga are wonderful, so my sister says. Pollinators swarm hers when it is in bloom. Pussy Willow may not be popular with bugs, but their fuzzy tufts are wonderful in flower arrangements or simply left in place. There can never be too many Viburnum, either. Good luck keeping the deer away.

Martha

Have you tried wild ginger? I have it growing several places under shrubs and it is quite a pretty native that fills in nicely. The flowers are hidden under the foliage but interesting. I should try saving seed from it but usually forget because they are hidden and it blooms early in the season when I am not in seed collecting mode.

On this site below they say it is deer resistant, but good for pipevines swallowtails? I didn't think it was a host for them, but that is a plus if it is.

Here is a link that might be useful: https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/asarum-canadense-wild-ginger.html

I don't think Wild Ginger serves as a suitable host.
But the cool thing about WG is its allelopathic effects on the noxious Garlic Mustard, which is a huge problem here.
The plants excrete a growth retardant that helps control germination of seedling GMs.
Pull Garlic Mustard and plant Wild Ginger.

John

John,
That is wonderful to know that Wild Ginger can prevent germination of GM. Does it have similar effects on germination of other seeds? I suppose it doesn't really matter, since I can wintersow the plants I want. I need to look into planting an acre or so of ginger!

Martha

I am growing wild Ginger myself. I planted some last year, and I love it. It is growing in dense shade and has doubled in size already. I expected to cover the area next year. According to Prairie Nursery, where I bought it. It does indeed repel garlic mustard, although I have not actually put it to the test, yet. I can't say that it doesn't kill jewelweed, however. Fortunately, that stuff is very easy to pull out.

My understanding is that it is an alternate host for the pipevine swallowtail, although I would hate to have the butterflies use it. It puts out all its growth in the early spring and then just sits there for the rest of the summer. I'm sure that the plant would be defoliated if it had caterpillars on it.
Liz

Liz,
I bet the ginger is similar to Lily of the Valley in how it grows. So, if it got defoliated one summer, it would have plenty of nutrients stored in it's rhizomes to make a comeback the next spring. Though, it might look ragged for the fall and winter.

Martha