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Pipevine Swallowtail

Battus philenor

Striking black swallowtail with metallic green hindwings and red body spots. Caterpillars feed exclusively on Dutchman's pipe vine. Iridescent coloring warns predators of toxins accumulated from host plant.

Plants that support Pipevine Swallowtail

Sun Exposure
Water
Size
Garden Style
Plant Traits

34 plants

Pipevine

Pipevine

Aristolochia californica

critical

vine

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Douglas' Thistle

Douglas' Thistle

Cirsium douglasii var. douglasii

high

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Giant Figwort*

Giant Figwort*

Adelinia grandis

high

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Mt. Diablo Helianthella

Mt. Diablo Helianthella

Helianthella castanea

high

perennial herb

Foliage

Bay Area native
Vetch

Vetch

Vicia gigantea

high

vine

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Whitehead Mule-ears

Whitehead Mule-ears

Wyethia helenioides

high

perennial herb

Foliage

Bay Area native
Black Sage

Black Sage

Salvia mellifera

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Bleeding-heart

Bleeding-heart

Dicentra formosa

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Blue Dips

Blue Dips

Dichelostemma capitatum

geophyte

Nectar

California Live-oak

California Live-oak

Quercus chrysolepis

tree

Foliage

Bay Area native Keystone species
Chile Tarweed

Chile Tarweed

Madia sativa

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Cleveland Sage

Cleveland Sage

Salvia clevelandii

shrub

Nectar

Cobwebby Thistle

Cobwebby Thistle

Cirsium occidentale var. venustum

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Common Fiddleneck

Common Fiddleneck

Amsinckia menziesii

annual

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Desert Willow - 'Bubba'

Desert Willow - 'Bubba'

Chilopsis linearis

perennial herb

Nectar

Douglas Iris

Douglas Iris

Iris douglasiana

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Flowering Currant

Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Ithuriel's Spear

Ithuriel's Spear

Triteleia laxa

geophyte

Nectar

Bay Area native
Many-flowered Brodiaea

Many-flowered Brodiaea

Dichelostemma multiflorum

geophyte

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Menzies' fiddleneck

Menzies' fiddleneck

Amsinckia intermedia

annual

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Pacific False Bindweed

Pacific False Bindweed

Calystegia purpurata subsp. Purpurata

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Pacific Pea

Pacific Pea

Lathyrus vestitus var. vestitus

vine

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Purple sage

Purple sage

Salvia leucophylla

shrub

Nectar

Red Larkspur

Red Larkspur

Delphinium nudicaule

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Red Maids*

Red Maids*

Calandrinia menziesii

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Red maids

Red maids

Calandrinia ciliata

annual

Nectar

Showy milkweed

Showy milkweed

Asclepias speciosa

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Sticky Monkey Flower

Sticky Monkey Flower

Diplacus aurantiacus

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Vinegar-weed

Vinegar-weed

Trichostema lanceolatum

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Western Redbud

Western Redbud

Cercis occidentalis

tree

Nectar

Bay Area native
Whiteleaf Manzanita

Whiteleaf Manzanita

Arctostaphylos viscida

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native Keystone species
Wild Farewell to Spring

Wild Farewell to Spring

Clarkia amoena 'The Real'

annual

Nectar

Yellow Sand Verbena

Yellow Sand Verbena

Abronia latifolia

perennial herb

Nectar

Yerba Santa

Yerba Santa

Eriodictyon californicum

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native