Quick answer: 18 butterfly and moth host plants are native to Nevada, 15 with a live listing as of 16 Sep 2026.
18 species
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi · 34 states
- Bebb willow Salix bebbiana · 6 states
- Blue grama Bouteloua gracilis · 19 states
- Buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides · 19 states
- Canada wild rye Elymus canadensis · 37 states
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · 44 states
- Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium · 37 states
- Gambel oak Quercus gambelii · 8 states
- Peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides · 4 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
Butterfly and moth host plants in Nevada: what to know
18 of the 97 plants native to Nevada in this directory fit this need: 19% of the state's list, below the 23% share across all species.
Between them they flower from March through December, with the most in bloom in June. Mixing early and late bloomers keeps the planting useful all season.
Many do double duty: 18 are also good for pollinators, 17 are also good for birds, 12 are also drought-tolerant.
16 of them grow in full or partial sun and 9 tolerate shade, so there are options for open beds and woodland edges alike. Sizes run from low plants like Buffalograss and Pearly everlasting to trees such as Bearberry and Bebb willow. For wildlife, 18 support pollinators, 17 provide food or cover for birds and 18 are caterpillar host plants.
15 of the 18 have a seed or plant listing we verified as the wild species. Be careful buying Switchgrass: common listings for it 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
- Smooth sumac Rhus glabra · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms May-Aug
- Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms May-Jun