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Host plants

Plants that feed the caterpillars and larvae of specific insects.

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All 139 host plants in the catalogue, alphabetical by common name. Each links to a full page with its ratings across the USDA, RHS, Canadian and Australian systems.

  • Agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria – Slender meadow perennial with tall spikes of small yellow flowers. Mild and safe digestive and urinary tonic in European herbal tradition. USDA zones 3–8
  • Alder — Common Alnus glutinosa – Riparian European tree, one of the few non-leguminous nitrogen fixers thanks to its Frankia root symbiosis. Bark is a traditional astringent for sore throats. USDA zones 3–7
  • Alder — Italian Alnus cordata – Heart-leaved southern European alder — faster growing and more drought tolerant than common alder, and equally happy on dry urban sites. A useful amenity tree. USDA zones 5–8
  • Alfalfa (Lucerne) Medicago sativa – Globally important forage legume with a taproot that can reach 15 m. One of the most efficient nitrogen-fixers and a powerful dynamic accumulator from deep soil layers. USDA zones 3–10
  • Angelica Angelica archangelica – Stately biennial or short-lived perennial with hollow stems that have long been candied as a confection. Aromatic root is a traditional digestive bitter. USDA zones 3–7
  • Anise hyssop Agastache foeniculum – North American prairie native perennial with upright spikes of lavender-blue flowers and aniseed-scented leaves. Outstanding bee plant and a fragrant tea herb. USDA zones 4–8
  • Aronia (Black chokeberry) Aronia melanocarpa – North American native shrub with white spring flowers, glossy red autumn foliage, and clusters of intensely astringent dark berries. USDA zones 3–8
  • Australian native mulberry Pipturus argenteus – Fast, soft-wooded subtropical shrub or small tree from eastern Australia with soft white edible fruit. USDA zones 10–11
  • Bird cherry Prunus padus – Small native cherry of damp woodland, flowering in long fragrant white racemes after the leaves are out. Bitter black fruits are quickly stripped by birds. USDA zones 3–7
  • Bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus – Sprawling European perennial with bright yellow pea-flowers fading to orange and seed pods arranged like a bird's claws. A meadow staple supporting many butterfly species. USDA zones 3–8
  • Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia – Fast-growing North American leguminous tree. Wood is one of the most rot-resistant timbers in temperate climates — fence posts last 50+ years. Heavy nitrogen fixer. USDA zones 3–8
  • Black she-oak Allocasuarina littoralis – Eastern Australian coastal native casuarina. Critical food plant for the glossy black cockatoo, which feeds almost exclusively on its seeds. USDA zones 8–11
  • Blackwood Acacia melanoxylon – Large southeastern Australian acacia producing premium dark cabinetry timber. Tolerates more shade than most acacias and supports a wide range of native moths and butterflies. USDA zones 8–11
  • Blue vervain Verbena hastata – North American native vervain with candelabra spikes of small blue-violet flowers. Nervine and digestive with a bitter taste. USDA zones 3–8
  • Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum – Wetland-edge perennial with characteristic perfoliate leaves (the stem appears to grow through them). Traditionally used for influenza and feverish illness. USDA zones 3–8
  • Borage Borago officinalis – Bristly annual herb with brilliant blue star-shaped flowers. Once sown, returns yearly from self-set seed. USDA zones 2–11
  • Bristly locust Robinia hispida – Suckering eastern North American shrub or small tree with bristly stems and rosy-pink racemes of pea flowers in early summer. Useful for stabilising poor soils. USDA zones 5–8
  • Broad-leaved paperbark Melaleuca quinquenervia – Medium to tall Australian wetland tree with distinctive thick papery white bark and creamy bottlebrush flower spikes. USDA zones 9–11
  • Bronze fennel Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’ – Tall perennial fennel with the same anise-scented foliage and yellow umbel flowers as the green form, but with smoky purple-bronze new growth. USDA zones 4–9
  • Brooklime Veronica beccabunga – Low semi-aquatic native perennial with succulent stems, glossy rounded leaves and small bright blue flowers, creeping at the margins of streams and ponds. USDA zones 3–8
  • Buckthorn — Alder Frangula alnus – Wetland-edge European shrub. Aged bark is a stimulant laxative similar to senna; only the dried-and-aged bark is safe — fresh bark causes severe vomiting. USDA zones 3–7
  • Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum – Fast-growing warm-season grain — flowers six to eight weeks from sowing. Exceptional phosphorus scavenger and an outstanding bee plant during its short flowering window. USDA zones 2–10
  • Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa – Brilliant orange-flowered milkweed of dry prairies. Drought tolerant and unusually well behaved compared to its relatives. USDA zones 3–9
  • Calendula (Pot marigold) Calendula officinalis – Cheerful orange or yellow daisy-flowered annual that self-seeds reliably and flowers from late spring until hard frost. A traditional companion plant in vegetable gardens. USDA zones 2–11
  • Caradonna sage Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ – Selected cultivar of woodland sage with distinctive near-black flower stems carrying dense spikes of deep violet flowers in early summer. The signature ornamental sage of modern naturalistic planting design. USDA zones 4–8
  • Catnip Nepeta cataria – Mint-family perennial with grey-green leaves and small white flowers. Famously stimulating to most domestic cats. USDA zones 3–9
  • Chrysanthemum (medicinal) Chrysanthemum morifolium – Cultivated chrysanthemum with edible flowers used in TCM as an eye and liver herb. The same species used widely as an autumn cut flower. USDA zones 5–9
  • Common dog violet Viola riviniana – Low-growing native woodland violet with unscented blue-violet flowers in early spring. The most widespread larval host for fritillary butterflies. USDA zones 3–8
  • Common dogwood Cornus sanguinea – Native hedgerow shrub with white flat-topped flower clusters in summer, black berries in autumn and rich red young stems that glow through winter. USDA zones 4–8
  • Common honeysuckle (Woodbine) Lonicera periclymenum – Twining deciduous climber with intensely fragrant cream and pink trumpet flowers. The classic scent of midsummer evenings in the British countryside. USDA zones 4–9
  • Common ivy Hedera helix – Self-clinging evergreen climber that becomes shrubby and flowers only on mature stems high up on its support. The flowers are one of the most important late-season nectar sources in temperate gardens. USDA zones 4–9
  • Common knapweed (Black knapweed) Centaurea nigra – Tough native meadow perennial with thistle-like rose-purple flower heads on wiry stems. One of the top native plants for pollinator diversity. USDA zones 3–8
  • Common milkweed Asclepias syriaca – Tall North American native with fragrant pink-mauve flower clusters and milky sap. The keystone larval food plant of the monarch butterfly. USDA zones 3–9
  • Coriander (Cilantro) Coriandrum sativum – Fast-growing annual umbellifer producing fresh leafy growth and then white flower umbels and aromatic round seeds. USDA zones 2–11
  • Corn poppy (Common poppy) Papaver rhoeas – Iconic scarlet annual of disturbed ground and cornfields. The remembrance poppy and the visual signature of summer field margins. USDA zones 3–9
  • Cornflower Centaurea cyanus – Brilliant blue annual once common in cornfields, now almost extinct in the wild. Easy to grow from seed and indispensable for pollinator-friendly annual displays. USDA zones 2–10
  • Cowslip Primula veris – Native meadow perennial with clusters of nodding deep yellow flowers held above a rosette of leaves. Once common in chalk and limestone grassland. USDA zones 3–8
  • Crimson bottlebrush Callistemon citrinus – Medium shrub or small tree with narrow lemon-scented leaves and iconic bright red bottlebrush flower spikes that draw honeyeaters and lorikeets in numbers. USDA zones 8–11
  • Crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum – Tall annual clover with deep crimson flower heads — striking enough to be ornamental as well as agricultural. A staple winter cover crop in orchards. USDA zones 5–9
  • Cuckoo flower (Lady’s smock) Cardamine pratensis – Slender pale-mauve wildflower of damp meadows and stream banks, flowering with the arrival of the cuckoo in spring. USDA zones 3–8
  • Dandelion Taraxacum officinale – Familiar lawn weed and traditional liver and kidney tonic. Every part is edible — leaves in salads, roots roasted as coffee substitute, flowers in syrups and wines. USDA zones 2–10
  • Devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis – Native damp-meadow perennial with rounded violet-blue flower heads in late summer. Sole larval food plant of the rare marsh fritillary butterfly. USDA zones 3–8
  • Dill Anethum graveolens – Annual umbellifer with feathery blue-green foliage and flat-topped yellow flower umbels. A classic culinary herb and a top companion plant for biological pest control. USDA zones 2–11
  • Echinacea (Coneflower) Echinacea purpurea – North American prairie native with bold pink-purple coneflowers through summer. Strong bee and butterfly plant. USDA zones 3–9
  • Elderberry Sambucus nigra – Vigorous deciduous shrub or small tree. Creamy summer flower heads (cordials, wine) followed by clusters of dark berries (syrups, traditional medicine). USDA zones 3–9
  • English bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta – Native woodland bulb forming sheets of nodding deep violet-blue bells in April and May. Bluebell woods are an internationally recognised UK habitat. USDA zones 4–8
  • English elm Ulmus procera – Once a defining tree of the English lowland landscape, devastated by Dutch elm disease from the 1970s onwards. Disease-resistant cultivars now make replanting viable. USDA zones 5–8
  • English holly Ilex aquifolium – Evergreen tree or shrub with glossy spiny leaves and bright red winter berries. The traditional Christmas holly of the British Isles. USDA zones 5–9
  • False indigo (Wild blue indigo) Baptisia australis – North American prairie native with deep blue lupine-like flower spikes in late spring. Long-lived and architectural — a permanent garden feature once established. USDA zones 3–9
  • Fennel Foeniculum vulgare – Tall feathery anise-scented perennial. Valued for foliage, seeds, swollen stem bases (Florence fennel), and as host plant. USDA zones 4–9
  • Field scabious Knautia arvensis – Native meadow perennial with flat lilac pincushion flower heads on tall slender stems. A reliable bee and butterfly plant for chalk and dry soils. USDA zones 3–8
  • French marigold Tagetes patula – Compact pungent-leaved annual with small orange, yellow or mahogany flowers. The classic vegetable-bed companion plant for nematode suppression. USDA zones 2–11
  • Garlic mustard (Jack-by-the-hedge) Alliaria petiolata – Biennial woodland-edge herb with garlic-scented leaves used as a wild salad green. Important early-season food plant for several butterflies. USDA zones 3–8
  • Goat's rue Galega officinalis – European perennial herb that yielded the chemistry behind metformin — the most-prescribed type-2 diabetes drug in the world. Pale lilac pea flowers attract bees. USDA zones 4–8
  • Goldenrod Solidago spp. – Tall North American native perennials with arching plumes of intensely yellow flowers in late summer and autumn. One of the single most important late-season nectar sources. USDA zones 3–9
  • Goumi Elaeagnus multiflora – East Asian shrub bearing tart bright-red speckled berries. Used in Japanese culinary traditions; significantly better-behaved than its invasive cousin autumn olive. USDA zones 4–9
  • Greater knapweed Centaurea scabiosa – Larger-flowered chalk-grassland relative of common knapweed, with deeply divided leaves and showy rose-pink flower heads. USDA zones 3–8
  • Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ – Compact mounding hybrid grevillea with finely divided foliage and continuous deep-red brush-like flowers throughout the year. USDA zones 9–11
  • Grey alder Alnus incana – Hardy pioneer alder of cold and dry sites where common alder will not thrive. Fixes nitrogen via Frankia bacteria and improves poor soils. USDA zones 2–7
  • Guelder rose Viburnum opulus – European hedgerow shrub with white lace-cap flowers in spring and clusters of bright red translucent berries in autumn. Bark ("crampbark") is a traditional antispasmodic. USDA zones 3–8
  • Hairpin banksia Banksia spinulosa – Compact eastern Australian banksia with narrow spiny leaves and golden cylindrical flower spikes through autumn and winter. USDA zones 8–11
  • Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna – Thorny hedgerow tree with white spring blossom and red autumn haws. Backbone of British and Irish hedgerow ecology — supports hundreds of insect species. USDA zones 4–8
  • Hazelnut (Cobnut, Filbert) Corylus avellana – Multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree, native to Europe and historically coppiced for poles, hurdles, and nuts. Excellent wildlife habitat. USDA zones 3–9
  • Hop Humulus lupulus – Vigorous herbaceous climber grown for the resinous female cones used to flavour and preserve beer. Dies to the ground each winter. USDA zones 3–8
  • Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis – Compact woody Mediterranean herb with deep blue flower spikes and pungent leaves. Underused in modern gardens. USDA zones 3–9
  • Jerusalem artichoke (Sunchoke) Helianthus tuberosus – Tall sunflower relative grown for knobbly underground tubers. Cheerful late-summer yellow flowers; productive on poor ground. USDA zones 3–9
  • Joe Pye weed Eutrochium purpureum – Tall (2–3 m) clump-forming perennial with mauve-pink flower heads. Traditional urinary tonic; one of the most important late-season nectar plants of the eastern North American garden. USDA zones 4–9
  • Juniper Juniperus communis – Variable evergreen conifer ranging from prostrate ground cover to small upright tree. Berry-like cones are the signature flavour of gin and a traditional digestive and urinary herb. USDA zones 2–7
  • Kangaroo paw Anigozanthos spp. – Iconic Western Australian perennial with strap-like leaves and tall stems of furry tubular flowers in red, yellow, green or pink, shaped like a kangaroo’s paw. USDA zones 9–11
  • Kawakawa Piper excelsum – Heart-leaved New Zealand native shrub of the pepper family. Leaves are a major Māori medicinal plant, used both topically and as a tea. USDA zones 9–11
  • Korean mint (Hisop) Agastache rugosa – East Asian relative of anise hyssop with violet-blue flower spikes and aromatic leaves with a complex mint-anise-licorice flavour. A traditional Korean and Chinese tea and seasoning herb. USDA zones 5–9
  • Kowhai Sophora tetraptera – Iconic small New Zealand tree with cascading clusters of bright yellow tubular flowers in early spring — the country's unofficial national flower. USDA zones 8–10
  • Leadplant Amorpha canescens – Low silvery-grey prairie shrub with deep purple flower spikes contrasting against the foliage. A cornerstone plant of North American prairie restoration. USDA zones 2–9
  • Linden (Lime tree) Tilia cordata – Large long-lived European tree (the British "lime", unrelated to citrus). Flowers are a classic European nervine tea — calming and mildly sleep-promoting. USDA zones 3–8
  • Lovage Levisticum officinale – Tall perennial herb with strong celery flavour. One of the larger herbs — a single mature plant occupies a square metre. USDA zones 3–8
  • Lupin — Russell hybrid Lupinus × regalis – Garden hybrid lupin in a vivid range of colours — pink, white, yellow, blue, red, bicolour — bred from George Russell's seedlings in 1930s Yorkshire. USDA zones 4–8
  • Manuka Leptospermum scoparium – New Zealand and southeastern Australian native shrub with masses of small white or pink flowers. Source of the famous manuka honey and a strong antimicrobial essential oil. USDA zones 8–10
  • May Night sage Salvia × sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ – Long-flowering hybrid woodland sage with dense spikes of deep indigo-violet flowers from late spring through early summer. Perennial Plant of the Year (USA) 1997 and a benchmark naturalistic-style perennial. USDA zones 4–8
  • Michaelmas daisy Symphyotrichum spp. – Tall North American native perennials with sprays of small daisy flowers in lilac, pink, and white. The last major nectar source of the gardening year. USDA zones 3–8
  • Midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata – Native small tree of ancient woodland and old hedgerows, very similar to common hawthorn but more shade-tolerant and slightly earlier flowering. USDA zones 4–8
  • Monarda (Bee balm) Monarda didyma – Showy mint-family perennial with red, pink, or purple flower heads. Traditional Native American antimicrobial and respiratory herb; the source of "Oswego tea". USDA zones 3–9
  • Motherwort Leonurus cardiaca – Tall mint-family perennial with pink-purple flower whorls. Traditionally used as a cardiac tonic and for menstrual symptom support. USDA zones 3–8
  • Mulberry — White Morus alba – Fast-growing deciduous tree with sweet pale fruit and broad heart-shaped leaves. Sole food plant of the silkworm. USDA zones 4–9
  • Mullein Verbascum thapsus – Striking biennial with a basal rosette of soft fuzzy leaves in year one and a tall flowering spike (1.5–2 m) in year two. Traditional respiratory and ear-infection herb. USDA zones 3–9
  • Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus – Trailing or climbing annual with edible round leaves, peppery flowers, and seeds that can be pickled like capers. USDA zones 2–11
  • Native fuchsia Correa reflexa – Small Australian shrub with rough hairy leaves and pendant tubular red, cream or green flowers through autumn and winter. USDA zones 8–10
  • Native sarsaparilla Hardenbergia violacea – Twining Australian native climber or trailing ground cover with leathery leaves and sprays of small purple pea flowers in late winter and early spring. USDA zones 8–11
  • Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare – Tall white-and-yellow daisy of native flower meadows. The visual signature of midsummer grassland and a workhorse of meadow pollinator support. USDA zones 3–8
  • Parsley Petroselinum crispum – Biennial culinary umbellifer grown for its leaves in the first year. Allow some plants to run to flower in the second year for parasitic wasps and butterfly larvae. USDA zones 4–9
  • Partridgeberry Mitchella repens – Trailing evergreen ground cover of eastern North American forests. Bright red berries and small white twin flowers. Traditional indigenous childbirth-preparation herb. USDA zones 3–9
  • Pawpaw — North American Asimina triloba – Cold-hardy understorey tree of the eastern North American forests, producing tropical-flavoured fruit reminiscent of banana, mango, and custard apple. USDA zones 4–8
  • Phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia – Fern-leaved Californian native cover crop with curling lavender-blue flower heads — among the highest-nectar plants per unit area of any cover crop. USDA zones 2–10
  • Pine — Scots Pinus sylvestris – Iconic conifer of the European and Asian temperate north, with characteristic orange-red upper bark. Needle and resin essential oils have respiratory and antimicrobial uses. USDA zones 2–7
  • Pipevine (Dutchman’s pipe) Aristolochia macrophylla – Vigorous deciduous climber with very large heart-shaped leaves and curious pipe-shaped flowers. Grown both as a screen and as a butterfly host. USDA zones 4–8
  • Plantain — Ribwort Plantago lanceolata – Narrow-leaved cousin of broadleaf plantain. Traditionally used as a respiratory expectorant and for soothing sore throats. USDA zones 2–10
  • Pohutukawa (NZ Christmas tree) Metrosideros excelsa – Iconic New Zealand coastal tree with leathery dark green leaves, silver undersides, and brilliant crimson brush-like flowers at midsummer. USDA zones 9–11
  • Primrose Primula vulgaris – Clump-forming native woodland-edge perennial with pale yellow flowers held just above a rosette of crinkled leaves. One of the very first flowers of spring. USDA zones 4–8
  • Purging buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica – Spiny native shrub of chalk and limestone hedgerows. With alder buckthorn, an essential larval host for the brimstone butterfly. USDA zones 3–7
  • Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria – Tall native wetland perennial with spectacular spires of magenta flowers in late summer. Outstanding bee plant in its native range. USDA zones 3–9
  • Purple top vervain Verbena bonariensis – Tall airy South American perennial with sparse wiry stems carrying small clusters of bright lilac-purple flowers. Sees-through quality lets it dominate borders without blocking the view. USDA zones 7–11
  • Ragged robin Silene flos-cuculi – Damp-meadow perennial with deeply cut, fringed pink petals on slender stems. Once common in wet meadows, now declining and worth cultivating. USDA zones 3–8
  • Red campion Silene dioica – Native woodland-edge perennial with deep pink five-petalled flowers. Often the first splash of colour beside emerging bluebells in spring woodland. USDA zones 3–8
  • Red clover Trifolium pratense – Pink-purple flowering legume long used as a forage crop, nitrogen-fixing cover crop, and herbal source of phytoestrogenic isoflavones. USDA zones 3–9
  • Rosehip (Dog rose) Rosa canina – Wild European hedgerow rose. Bright red autumn hips carry exceptionally high vitamin C and were the basis of wartime UK rosehip syrup. USDA zones 3–8
  • Rosemary grevillea Grevillea rosmarinifolia – Bushy upright grevillea with rosemary-like needle leaves and showy red and cream spider-like flowers from late winter through spring. USDA zones 8–10
  • Rowan (Mountain ash) Sorbus aucuparia – Small graceful European tree with feathery foliage and brilliant orange-red berries. Berries are exceptionally high in vitamin C and traditionally used in jellies and tonics. USDA zones 3–7
  • Runner bean Phaseolus coccineus – Climbing bean with bright red (or white) flowers and long flat pods. A British staple of cottage and allotment gardens. USDA zones 3–11
  • Sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia – Pink-flowered chalk-loving European legume. The non-bloating clover alternative for ruminants and the source of one of the world's most prized monofloral honeys. USDA zones 3–8
  • Sassafras Sassafras albidum – Medium-sized eastern North American tree with mitten-shaped aromatic leaves and spectacular orange-red autumn colour. USDA zones 4–9
  • Selfheal Prunella vulgaris – Low creeping perennial with short violet flower spikes. Tough enough to flower in a mown lawn and a reliable forage plant for short-tongued bees. USDA zones 3–8
  • Sloe (Blackthorn) Prunus spinosa – Suckering thorny shrub of European hedgerows. White flowers smother the bare branches before leaves emerge — a reliable late-winter signal. USDA zones 4–8
  • Small-leaved kowhai Sophora microphylla – New Zealand native small tree with very small pinnate leaflets and pendant clusters of large bright yellow pea flowers in late winter and early spring. Among the most striking native NZ flowering trees. USDA zones 8–10
  • Spicebush Lindera benzoin – Eastern North American understorey shrub with intensely aromatic bark, leaves, and red berries. Traditional culinary spice and medicinal substitute for tropical spices in colonial kitchens. USDA zones 4–9
  • Spindle tree Euonymus europaeus – Native small tree or large shrub with inconspicuous summer flowers and spectacular four-lobed pink fruits that split to reveal vivid orange seeds in autumn. USDA zones 3–7
  • Spiny-headed mat rush Lomandra longifolia – Tough strappy-leaved Australian native that looks like a tussock grass but is actually in the asparagus family. Virtually indestructible and now a landscaping mainstay. USDA zones 8–11
  • St John's wort Hypericum perforatum – Yellow-flowered perennial used medicinally for centuries; flowers around the summer solstice. Considered invasive in Australia and parts of North America. USDA zones 3–9
  • Stinging nettle Urtica dioica – Fierce-looking perennial with stinging hairs that hide one of the most nutritious wild greens. Young shoots cook into a spinach-like vegetable; mature plant is anti-inflammatory. USDA zones 2–9
  • Sunflower Helianthus annuus – Tall annual with massive single yellow flower heads tracking the sun. The seeds feed bees, songbirds and humans alike. USDA zones 2–11
  • Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata – Clump-forming milkweed with deep pink flower umbels, suited to wet soils and pond edges. Better behaved in gardens than common milkweed. USDA zones 3–8
  • Sweet alyssum Lobularia maritima – Low-spreading honey-scented annual or short-lived perennial covered in dense clusters of small white, pink or purple flowers from spring until frost. USDA zones 5–9
  • Sweet violet Viola odorata – Low-growing ground cover with intensely fragrant deep-purple flowers in earliest spring. Flowers and leaves edible and medicinal. USDA zones 3–8
  • Tansy Tanacetum vulgare – Aromatic European perennial with feathery foliage and flat clusters of yellow button flowers. Traditional strewing herb and natural insect repellent. USDA zones 3–8
  • Teasel Dipsacus fullonum – Tall biennial with prickly stems and distinctive cone-shaped flower heads ringed by bands of mauve flowers in summer. Architectural seed heads persist into winter. USDA zones 3–8
  • Tulip tree (Yellow poplar) Liriodendron tulipifera – Fast-growing tall eastern North American tree with distinctive four-lobed leaves and tulip-shaped greenish-orange flowers high in the canopy. USDA zones 4–9
  • Vervain Verbena officinalis – Slender wiry perennial with small pale-lilac flowers. Traditional nervine used in European herbalism for centuries. USDA zones 4–8
  • Waratah Telopea speciosissima – Iconic NSW shrub with leathery dark leaves and spectacular dome-shaped scarlet flower heads in spring. The floral emblem of New South Wales. USDA zones 8–10
  • Water forget-me-not Myosotis scorpioides – Spreading perennial pond-margin plant with masses of small sky-blue flowers with yellow eyes in early summer. A reliable native for any wildlife pond. USDA zones 3–8
  • Water mint Mentha aquatica – Aromatic native pond-margin mint with rounded purple-pink flower heads in late summer. One parent of cultivated peppermint. USDA zones 3–9
  • Wax myrtle (Southern bayberry) Morella cerifera – Southeastern US evergreen shrub of coastal areas. Salt-tolerant, fast growing, and wildlife-friendly — a workhorse for southern coastal gardens. USDA zones 6–10
  • White clover Trifolium repens – The standard low-growing clover of lawns and pastures across temperate regions. Tolerates mowing, fixes nitrogen, and feeds bees — the original "lawn clover" before postwar herbicides erased it. USDA zones 3–10
  • White mustard Sinapis alba – Fastest-establishing green manure — germinates in 3–4 days. Glucosinolates released when the green mass is incorporated act as a natural soil biofumigant. USDA zones 2–10
  • Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa – Lavender-pink flowering monarda of the prairies, more drought-tolerant than its cousin M. didyma. Same medicinal use; better choice for dry gardens. USDA zones 3–9
  • Wild carrot (Queen Anne’s lace) Daucus carota – Lacy white-flowered biennial umbellifer of dry meadows and roadsides, with a tiny dark central floret in each flat flower head. Ancestor of the cultivated carrot. USDA zones 3–9
  • Wild privet Ligustrum vulgare – Semi-evergreen native hedgerow shrub with fragrant white flower panicles and small black berries. Far better for wildlife than the more commonly planted Japanese privet. USDA zones 4–8
  • Willow — White Salix alba – Large riparian European tree. Bark is the natural source of salicin — the precursor compound that led to the synthesis of aspirin. USDA zones 2–8
  • Wood betony Betonica officinalis – Upright native meadow and woodland-edge perennial with short purple-red flower spikes above a rosette of crinkled leaves. Among the most useful all-round wildlife plants for the British garden. USDA zones 4–8
  • Wych elm Ulmus glabra – Native upland elm with broader leaves and a more open crown than English elm. More tolerant of Dutch elm disease and the easiest elm to establish in northern gardens. USDA zones 4–7
  • Yarrow Achillea millefolium – Resilient perennial with finely divided leaves and flat clusters of small flowers in midsummer. Native across both Europe and North America. USDA zones 2–9
  • Yellow flag iris Iris pseudacorus – Native pond and stream-margin perennial with sword-shaped leaves and tall stems of bright yellow iris flowers in early summer. USDA zones 4–9

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