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A Habitat Learning Lab includes outdoor learning stations that serve as habitats for native backyard wildlife such as butterflies and other pollinators, songbirds, and frogs and toads. Each habitat includes different species of plants that provide the food and/or shelter for the adult wildlife species and/or the basic needs for the wildlife species’ young (caterpillars, larvae, chicks, or tadpoles).
Visit our Why Plant Native Plants page to learn why it is important to plant natives instead of non-native species. Check out our Plant Purpose Chart (PDF) to learn more about the purpose of many common Habitat Lab plant species listed below.
Click on the buttons below to find the plant suggestions for backyard wildlife visiting your Habitat Lab:
The butterfly habitat in your Habitat Lab should include host plants—the specific plant species that a butterfly species will lay her eggs on and that her caterpillars will eat before creating a chrysalis to go through metamorphosis into an adult butterfly. Adult butterflies will eat the nectar from all of the flowering plants throughout your Habitat Lab.
Below are plant suggestions that will help provide host plants for the butterflies visiting your Habitat Lab. For more habitat suggestions, visit our Butterfly Habitat Learning Station page.
Visit the Alabama Butterfly Atlas website for additional host plant suggestions for all of the butterflies that call Alabama home.
American Lady, Vanessa virginiensis
Plaintain Leaf Pussytoes, Antennaria plantaginifolia
Cudweed, Gamochaeta
Pennsylvania Everlasting, Gamochaeta pensylvanica
Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes
Parsley, Petroselinum crispum
Carrots, Daucus carota
Queen Anne’s Lace/Wild Carrot, Daucus carota
Dill, Anethum graveolens
Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare
Hairy Angelica, Angelica venenosa
Threadleaf Mock Bishopweed, Ptilimnium capillaceum
White Nymph, Trepocarpus aethusae
American Lovage, Ligusticum canadense
Common Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea
Cabbage White, Pieris rapae
Cabbage, Brassica oleracea var. capitata
Broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica
Chinese Mustard/Mustard Greens, Brassica juncea
Poorman’s Pepperwort/Virginia Peppergrass, Lepidium virginicum
Carolina Satyr, Hermeuptychia sosybius
Witch Grass/Rosette Grass, Dichanthelium spp.
Clouded Skipper, Lerema accius
Canes, Arundinaria spp.
River Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium
Cutgrass, Leersia spp.
Johnson Grass, Sorghum halepense
Sorghum/Broom Corn/Milo, Sorghum bicolor var bicolor
Vasey’s Grass, Paspalum urvillei
Purple Top, Tridens flavus
Southern Crabgrass, Digitaria ciliaris
Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae
Common Partridge Pea, Chamaecrista fasciculata
Common Sensitive Plant, Chamaecrista nictitans
Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia
Great Plantain/Common Plantain, Plantago major
Purple Gerardia/Purple False Foxglove, Agalinis purpurea
Creeping Frogfruit, Phyla nodiflora
Carolina Wild Petunia, Ruellia caroliniensis
Old Field/Common Toadflax, Linaria canadensis
Garden Snapdragon, Antirrhinum majus
Slender False Foxglove, Agalinis tenuifolia
Long Bract Plantain, Plantago aristata
Common Checkered Skipper, Burnsius communis
Carolina Bristle Mallow, Modiola caroliniana
Fanpetals, Sida spp.
Eastern Tailed-Blue, Cupido comyntas
White Clover, Trifolium repens
Downy Milk Pea, Galactia volubilis
Red Clover, Trifolium pratense
Carolina Vetch, Vicia caroliniana
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus
*Alabama’s State Butterfly
Tulip Poplar, Liriodendron tulipifera
Sweet Bay Magnolia, Magnolia virginiana
Black Cherry, Prunus serotina
Green Ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Fiery Skipper, Hylephila phyleus
Purple Nutsedge, Cyperus rotundus
Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae
Purple Passionflower/Maypops, Passiflora incarnata
Yellow Passionflower, Passiflora lutea
Blue Passionflower, Passiflora caerulea
Horace’s Duskywing, Erynnis horatius
White Oak, Quercus alba
Scrub Oak, Quercus ilicifolia
Red Oak, Quercus rubra
Water Oak, Quercus nigra
Sand Live Oak/Scrub Live Oak, Quercus geminata
Monarch, Danaus plexippus
Butterfly Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa
Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata
Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca
Eastern Whorled Milkweed, Asclepias verticillata
Painted Lady, Vanessa cardul
Swamp Rose Mallow, Hibiscus grandifloras
Thistles, Cirsium spp.
Pearl Crescent, Phyciodes tharos
Heartleaf Aster/Blue Wood Aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium
Wavy Leaf Aster, Symphyotrichum undulatum
Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor
Woolly Dutchman’s Pipe/Pipevine, Isotrema tomentosum
Virginia Snakeroot, Endodeca serpentaria
Question Mark, Polygonia interrogationis
False Nettle, Boehmeria cylindrica
Winged Elm, Ulmus alata
Hackberry spp., Celtis spp.
Common Hops, Humulus lupulus
American Elm, Ulmus americana
Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
False Nettle, Boehmeria cylindrica
Canadian Wood Nettle, Laportea canadensis
Red-banded Hairstreak, Calycopis cecrops
Oaks, Quercus spp.
Sumac, Rhus
Wax Myrtle, Myrica cerifera
Silver-spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus
Black Locust, Robinia pseudoacacia
American Wisteria, Wisteria frutescens
Tall Indigo Bush/False Indigo, Amorpha fruticosa
American Hog Peanut, Amphicarpaea bracteata
Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio troilus
Sassafras, Sassafras albidum
Smooth Northern Spicebush, Lindera benzoin
Red Bay, Tamala borbonia
Swamp Bay, Tamala palustris
Camphor Tree, Cinnamomum camphora
Summer Azure, Celastrina neglecta
Swamp Dogwood, Cornus stricta
Sparkleberry, Vaccinium arboreum
Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida
Common Wingstem, Verbesina alternifolia
Common New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus americanus
White Crownbeard, Verbescina virginica
Sneezeweeds, Helenium spp.
Devil’s Walkingstick/Hercules Club, Aralia spinosa
Viceroy, Limenitis archippus
Willows, Salix spp.
Carolina willow, Salix caroliniana
Zebra Swallowtail, Neographium marcellus
Common Pawpaw, Asimina triloba
Small Fruit Pawpaw, Asimina parviflora
A Pollinator Garden should include flowering perennials that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season. The most critical component of a Pollinator Garden is native plants (plants that occur naturally in our area). They are easier to grow and are better adapted for our specific climate and soil.
Below are plant suggestions that will help provide habitat for the pollinators using your Habitat Lab. For more habitat suggestions, visit our Pollinator Habitat Learning Station page.
Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum
Bee Balm, Monarda fistulosa
Beeblossom, Oenothera lindheimeri
Blanket Flower, Gaillardia pulchella
Blue False Indigo, Baptisia australis
Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis
Dense Blazing Star, Liatris spicata
False Sunflower, Heliopsis helianthoides
Common Goldenrod, Solidago altissima
Ironweed, Veronia gigantea
Lanceleaf Tickseed, Coreopsis lanceolata
Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum incanum
Narrowleaf Sunflower, Helianthus angustifolia
Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
Red Sage, Salvia coccinea
Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
Stokes Aster, Stokesia laevis
Verbena, Verbena hastata
A Songbird Habitat should provide habitat for local and migrating songbirds including native trees, shrubs, grasses, forbs (wildflowers) and vines that produce mast (such as berries, seeds and nuts) and/or native shrubs, grasses, and forbs that attract insects for the birds to eat.
Below are plant suggestions that will help provide habitat for the songbirds visiting your Habitat Lab. For more habitat suggestions, visit our Songbird Habitat Learning Station page.
Black Cherry, Prunus serotina
Common Hackberry, Celtis occidentalis L.
Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana L.
Red Maple, Acer rubrum L.
Chickasaw Plum, Prunus angustifolia
Eastern Redbud, Cercis canadensis
Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida
PawPaw, Asimina triloba
Red Buckeye, Aesculus pavia
American Holly, Ilex opaca
Yaupon Holly, Ilex vomitoria
Wax Myrtle, Marella cerifera
Beebalm, Monarda fistulosa
Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis
Great Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica
Lanceleaf Tickseed, Coreopsis lanceolata
Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana
Blueberry, Vaccinium virgatum &/or Vaccinium corymbosum
Elderberry, Sambucus nigra spp. canadendsis
Maple-leaf Arrow-wood, Viburnum acerifolium
Red Chokeberry, Photinia pyrifolia
Serviceberry, Amelanchier arborea
Southern Spicebush, Lindera melissifolia (Walter) Blume
Sparkleberry, Vaccinium arboreum
Sweetshrub, Calycanthus Floridus
Virginia sweet spire, Itea virginica
Carolina Jessamine, Gelsemium sempervirens
Coral Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens
Crossvine, Bignonia capreolata
Purple Passionflower, Passiflora incarnata
Trumpet Creeper, Campsis radicans
Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium
Pink Muhly Grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris
Switchgrass, Panicum virgatum
A Frog & Toad Habitat should be built in a shady spot, and it needs to include a pond for frogs to lay their eggs in and a bog with moist soil for toads to burrow in for temperature regulation. The native plants found in this type of habitat must prefer shade and thrive in moist environments.
Below are the suggested native plants that will help provide habitat for the frogs and toads visiting your Habitat Lab. For more habitat suggestions, visit our Frog & Toad Learning Station page.
Arrow Arum, Peltandra virginica
Horsetail, Equisetum hyemale
Lizard’s Tail, Saururus cernuus
Pickerelweed, Pontederia cordata
Blue-eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium atlanticum
Cinnamon Fern, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Fire Pink, Silene virginica
Jacob’s Ladder, Polemonium reptans
Shooting Star, Dodecatheon meadia
Spotted Geranium, Geranium maculatum
Virginia Bluebells, Mertensia virginica
Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis
Dutchman’s Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria
Great Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica
Joe-pye Weed, Eutrochium fistulosum
Southern Shield Fern, Thelypteris kunthii
Stokes Aster, Stokesia laevis
Wild Blue Phox, Phlox divaricata
Blue eyed grass, Sisyrinchium atlanticum
Dwarf Crested Iris,Iris cristata
Heartleaf Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia
Lady Fern, Athyrium filix-femina
Southern Woodfern, Dryopteris ludoviciana
Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata
Wood Anemone, Anemone quinquefolia
Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides
Eastern Red Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
Jack in the Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum
Roundlobe Hepatica, Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa
Spiderwort, Tradescantia occidentalis
Sweet Betsy Trillium, Trillium cuneatum
Yellow Trout-Lily, Erythronium americanum
Ajuga, Ajuga reptans
Native Violets
Wild Ginger, Hexastylis arifolia
Woodland Stonecrop, Sedum ternatum
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