Common Nectar Species for

the Karner blue butterfly

A color photo guide from the WDNR

Karner Blue Butterfly Program

Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium

Lead Plant Amorpha canescens

Thimbleweed Anemone cylindrica

Lyre Leaved Rock Cress Arabis lyrata

Thyme Leaved Sandwort Arenaria serpyllifolia

Common Milkweed Asclepius syriaca

Butterfly Milkweed Asclepius tuberosa

Whorled Milkweed

Asclepius verticillata

Fern-Leaved False Foxglove Aureolaria pedicularia

Native Nectar Plant Species

Cream Wild Indigo Baptisia bracteata var. glabrescens

Harebell Campanula rotundifolia

New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus

Bastard Toadflax Comandra umbellata

Lance-Leaved Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata

Prairie Coreopsis Coreopsis palmata

White Prairie Clover Dalea candida

Grass-Leaved Goldenrod Euthamia graminifolia

Flowering Spurge Euphorbia corollata

Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea

Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana

Cottonweed Froelichia floridana

Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum Sweet Everlasting

Gnaphalium obtusifolium

Frostweed Helianthemum canadense

Woodland Sunflower Helianthus divericatus

Western Sunflower Helianthus occidentalis

Long-Leaved Bluets Houstonia longifolia

Two Flowered Cynthia Krigia biflora

Round Headed Bush Clover Lespedeza capitata

Rough Blazing Star Liatris aspera

Cylindrical Blazing Star Liatris cylindracea

Hoary Puccoon Lithospermum canadense

Pale Spiked Lobelia Lobelia spicata

Wild Lupine Lupinus perennis

Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa

Horsemint Monarda fistulosa

Common Evening Primrose Oenothera biennis

Wood Betony Pedicularis lanceolata

Prairie Phlox Phlox pilosa

Purple Milkwort Polygala polygama

Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta

Balsam ragwort Packera paupercula

False Solomon’s Seal Smilacina racemosa

Starry False Solomon’s Seal Smilacina stellata

Old Field Goldenrod Solidago nemoralis

Upland White Aster Solidago ptarmicoides

Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa

Fameflower Talinum rugospermum

Goats Rue Tephrosia virgiiniana

Birds Foot Violet Viola pedata

Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea

Ohio Spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis

Hoary Allysum Berteroa incana

Non-Native (Invasive) Nectar Plant Species, DO NOT PLANT!!!

Spotted Knapweed Centaurea biebersteinii

Ox-eye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare

Orange Hawkweed Hieracium aurentiacum

Common St. John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum

Leafy Spurge Euphorbia esula

Bird’s Foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus

Butter and Eggs Linaria vulgaris

Yellow Sweet Clover Melilotus officinalis

White Sweet Clover Melilotus alba

Rough-Fruited Cinquefoil Potentilla recta

Red Clover Trifolium pratense

Russell Lupine Hybrids

Lupinus X russellii hort