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Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

CA Special Concern

California Species of Special Concern; monarch populations declining

Large orange butterfly with bold black veins and white spots. Famous multi-generational migrant; critical stopover habitat needed for Bay Area populations. Milkweed caterpillars sequester plant toxins for predator protection.

Plants that support Monarch butterfly

Sun Exposure
Water
Size
Garden Style
Plant Traits

71 plants

Buttonbush

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

California Aster

California Aster

Symphyotrichum chilense

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
California Goldenrod

California Goldenrod

Solidago velutina ssp. californica

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native Keystone species
California Milkweed

California Milkweed

Asclepias californica

critical

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
California sunflower

California sunflower

Helianthus californicus

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native Keystone species
Common sunflower

Common sunflower

Helianthus annuus

critical

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native Keystone species
Coyote Brush

Coyote Brush

Baccharis pilularis

critical

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Coyote Mint

Coyote Mint

Monardella villosa

critical

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Graceful Cinquefoil

Graceful Cinquefoil

Potentilla gracilis

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Hairy gumplant

Hairy gumplant

Grindelia hirsutula

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Mulefat

Mulefat

Baccharis salicifolia

critical

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Narrow-leaf Milkweed

Narrow-leaf Milkweed

Asclepias fascicularis

critical

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Purple Haze California Aster

Purple Haze California Aster

Aster chilensis 'Purple Haze'

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Purple sage

Purple sage

Salvia leucophylla

critical

shrub

Nectar

Seaside Heliotrope

Seaside Heliotrope

Heliotropium curassavicum

critical

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Showy milkweed

Showy milkweed

Asclepias speciosa

critical

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Western goldenrod

Western goldenrod

Euthamia occidentalis

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Woolypod milkweed

Woolypod milkweed

Asclepias eriocarpa

critical

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Yarrow

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

critical

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
American Cow-parsnip

American Cow-parsnip

Heracleum maximum

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
American-hemp

American-hemp

Apocynum cannabinum

high

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Bearbind

Bearbind

Calystegia sepium subsp. limnophila

high

vine

Nectar

Bay Area native
Bladderpod

Bladderpod

Cleomella arborea

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Blue Field Gilia

Blue Field Gilia

Gilia capitata

high

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Blue Flax

Blue Flax

Linum lewisii

high

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Brewer's Ragwort

Brewer's Ragwort

Packera breweri

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Bush Anemone

Bush Anemone

Carpenteria californica

high

shrub

Nectar

California Aster

California Aster

Corethrogyne filaginifolia

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
California Buckeye

California Buckeye

Aesculus californica

high

tree

Nectar

Bay Area native
California Buckwheat

California Buckwheat

Eriogonum fasciculatum

high

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
California Poppy

California Poppy

Eschscholzia californica

high

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Cardinal Flower

Cardinal Flower

Lobelia cardinalis

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Chaparral Currant

Chaparral Currant

Ribes malvaceum

high

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Cleveland Sage

Cleveland Sage

Salvia clevelandii

high

shrub

Nectar

Coastal Moonshine

Coastal Moonshine

Deinandra corymbosa

high

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Common Pearlyeverlasting

Common Pearlyeverlasting

Anaphalis margaritacea

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
De la Mina Verbena

De la Mina Verbena

Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina'

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Desert Lavendar

Desert Lavendar

Condea emoryi

high

perennial herb

Larval Host

Douglas's False Willow

Douglas's False Willow

Baccharis glutinosa

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
El Dorado Coast Sunflower

El Dorado Coast Sunflower

Encelia californica

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Facelia

Facelia

Phacelia tanacetifolia

high

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Mountain Coyote Mint

Mountain Coyote Mint

Monardella odoratissima

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Nevin's Barberry

Nevin's Barberry

Berberis nevinii

high

perennial herb

Larval Host

Newleaze Coral Mallow

Newleaze Coral Mallow

Sphaeralcea 'NewLeaze Coral'

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Rubber Rabbitbrush

Rubber Rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Seacliff buckwheat

Seacliff buckwheat

Eriogonum parvifolium

high

shrub

Nectar

Seaside Daisy

Seaside Daisy

Erigeron glaucus

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Suisun Marsh Aster

Suisun Marsh Aster

Symphyotrichum lentum

high

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Tarweed

Tarweed

Madia elegans

high

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Western Azalea

Western Azalea

Rhododendron occidentale

high

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native
Whiteleaf Manzanita

Whiteleaf Manzanita

Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. laevigata

high

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native Keystone species
Amphibious Bistort

Amphibious Bistort

Persicaria amphibia

perennial herb

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Branching Phacelia

Branching Phacelia

Phacelia ramosissima

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
California Seathrift

California Seathrift

Armeria maritima ssp. californica

perennial herb

Nectar

Conejo Buckwheat

Conejo Buckwheat

Eriogonum crocatum

perennial herb

Nectar

Creeping Sage

Creeping Sage

Salvia sonomensis

shrub

Larval Host

Bay Area native
Distant Phacelia

Distant Phacelia

Phacelia distans

annual

Nectar

Bay Area native
Hummingbird Sage

Hummingbird Sage

Salvia spathacea

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Island mallow

Island mallow

Malva assurgentiflora

shrub

Nectar

Lemonade Berry

Lemonade Berry

Rhus integrifolia

shrub

Nectar

Madrone

Madrone

Arbutus menziesii

tree

Nectar

Bay Area native Keystone species
Manzanita (Vine Hill)

Manzanita (Vine Hill)

Arctostaphylos densiflora

shrub

Larval Host

Keystone species
Nootka Rose

Nootka Rose

Rosa nutkana

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native Keystone species
Ranger's Buttons

Ranger's Buttons

Angelica capitellata

perennial herb

Nectar

Red Willow

Red Willow

Salix laevigata

shrub

Foliage

Bay Area native Keystone species
Red-Osier Dogwood*

Red-Osier Dogwood*

Cornus sericea subsp. sericea

shrub

Nectar

Bay Area native Keystone species
Rodeo Rose Arroyo Lupine

Rodeo Rose Arroyo Lupine

Lupinus succulentus 'Rodeo Rose'

annual

Nectar

Keystone species
Sierra Tidy Tips

Sierra Tidy Tips

Layia pentachaeta ssp. albida

perennial herb

Nectar

Sugarbush

Sugarbush

Rhus ovata

perennial herb

Nectar

Sulfur Buckwheat

Sulfur Buckwheat

Eriogonum umbellatum var. bahiiforme

perennial herb

Nectar

Bay Area native
Western Redbud

Western Redbud

Cercis occidentalis

tree

Nectar

Bay Area native