Top Native Plants for Wildlife in LA (Compiled from various sources as listed by TB/NPI as a working reference list for habitat gardeners)
Host Plants per # of Lepidoptera species Birds – Frugivory Source: NWF Native Plant Finder, by # of observed bird species using https://www.nwf.org/nativePlantFinder/plants Source: Bill Fontenot author of Native Gardening (based on and recommended by Doug Tallamy) in the South and the Nature Dude blog
Trees Mulberry (58) Quercus, Oaks (362) Elderberry (47) Prunus, Cherry/Plum (225) Hackberry (43) - Wild Cherry, Cherry Laurel, Mexican Plum Wild Grape, 5-6 species (42) Carya (178) Rough-leaf Dogwood (34) - Hickory, Pecan, etc. Virginia Creeper (34) Willow (170) Poison Ivy (34) Birch (164) Nyssa, Black Gum (33) Maple, Boxelder (158) Apple, Crabapple (154) Pokeberry (42) Pine (151) Black Cherry, Prunus serotina (28) Cottonwood (141) Flowering Dogwood (27) Elm (121) Vaccineum, Blueberry sp. (25) Ash (92) Vaccineum, Huckleberry (21) Hawthorns (89) Smilax, Greenbriars (23) - Parsley, Mayhaw Sumac (23) Carpinus (53) Callicarpa, Beautyberry (21) Locust (52) - Amorpha fruticosa Magnolias, Southern, Sweetbay (22) Persimmon (51) Spicebush (18) Sumac (47) Eastern Red Cedar (17) Hackberry (44) Hawthorn spp. (18) Holly, Ilex (40) Sassafras (15) Sycamore (35) Persimmon (15) Sweet Gum (33) Arrowwood Viburnum (13) Nyssa, Black Gum, Tupelo (26) Supplejack (12) Holly spp. Shrubs Dwarf Palmetto (10) Buttonbush (24) Prickly Ash (10) Elderberry (24) Juniperus, Eastern Red Cedar (24) Wax Myrtle Baccharis (28)
Flowers & Grasses Audubon published this list of plants earlier in the year and also has a Native Plant Search by Zip Solidago (68) + Bee Specialists Code on their website: Helianthus (56) + Bee Specialists https://www.audubon.org/native-plants Hibiscus (33) Eupatorium (28) American Elm, seeds, leaf buds Panicum (25) Sycamore, shelter Geranium (25) Buttonbush, seeds Amorpha (24) Helianthus, Sunflower – seeds Oenethera (18) many more…… Violet (18) Verbesina (17) Vernonia, Ironweed (17) LOS (LA Ornithological Society) recently Bluestem grasses (16) recommended these Native Grasses for Birds Sida (14) Mimosa (11) Big Bluestem Partridge Pea (9) Broomsedge Malaviscus (8) Arrowfeather Three-Awn – Aristida purpurescens Monarda (7) Eastern Gama Grass Gaura (7) Inland Sea Oats Ludwigia (7) Virginia Wild Rye Fall Witchgrass, Leptoloma Switchgrass species, P. virgatum Beaked Panicum, P. anceps Spreading Panicum, P. rhizomatum Scribner Panicum Fringeleaf Paspalum Little Bluestem Knotroot Bristlegrass Tridens flavens