Quick answer: 29 butterfly and moth host plants are native to Colorado, 28 with a live listing as of 04 Nov 2026.
29 species
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi · 34 states
- Big bluestem Andropogon gerardii · 41 states
- Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta · 44 states
- Blue grama Bouteloua gracilis · 19 states
- Boxelder Acer negundo · 16 states
- Buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides · 19 states
- Butterflyweed Asclepias tuberosa · 40 states
- Canada wild rye Elymus canadensis · 37 states
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · 44 states
- Common hackberry Celtis occidentalis · 33 states
- Eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides · 42 states
- Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium · 37 states
- Gambel oak Quercus gambelii · 8 states
- Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica · 43 states
- Highbush cranberry Viburnum opulus var. americanum · 22 states
- Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans · 37 states
- Indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa · 37 states
- Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium · 42 states
- Paper birch Betula papyrifera · 28 states
- Pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea · 38 states
- Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides · 39 states
- Red-osier dogwood Cornus sericea · 36 states
- Rocky Mountain bee plant Peritoma serrulata · 26 states
- Sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula · 38 states
- Smooth sumac Rhus glabra · 42 states
- Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata · 37 states
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum · 43 states
- Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia · 40 states
- Winecup Callirhoe involucrata · 16 states
Butterfly and moth host plants in Colorado: what to know
29 of the 100 plants native to Colorado in this directory fit this need: 29% of the state's list, above the 23% share across all species.
Between them they flower from February through December, with the most in bloom in June. Mixing early and late bloomers keeps the planting useful all season.
Many do double duty: 29 are also good for pollinators, 25 are also good for birds, 23 are also drought-tolerant.
26 of them grow in full or partial sun and 13 tolerate shade, so there are options for open beds and woodland edges alike. Sizes run from low plants like Black-eyed Susan and Buffalograss to trees such as Bearberry and Boxelder. For wildlife, 29 support pollinators, 25 provide food or cover for birds and 29 are caterpillar host plants.
28 of the 29 have a seed or plant listing we verified as the wild species. Be careful buying Black-eyed Susan, Indiangrass, Switchgrass: common listings for these are often a bred variety or a different species.
Good places to start
Verified wild-species listings that take sun and are widely native, so they are forgiving first plants.
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Apr-Jul
- Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Apr-Jun
- Eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Feb-Apr