Here’s a flutter-worthy list of common Oklahoma butterflies and the specific plants their caterpillars depend on for survival! Compiled by butterfly enthusiast Sandra Schwinn of Mounds, OK, this guide is your go-to resource for planting to support the next generation of native butterflies.

Including these host plants in your garden helps create vital habitat for some of Oklahoma’s most beautiful winged visitors.

Meet the "Butterfly Lady"
by Laura Reynolds
Sandy Schwinn, lovingly known as the “Butterfly Lady”, began her journey about 45 years ago. A chance encounter with a black and yellow caterpillar, feeding on a vine in her yard, piqued her curiosity. She and her two children raised the caterpillar on the vine in a canning jar and were amazed when it eventually morphed into a beautiful Monarch. Often, the simplicity of a situation like this is how legacies are born, and Sandy is no exception. This experience led to an insatiable desire to learn about all different kinds of butterflies and to share that knowledge with all.

Sandy worked as an elementary school teacher before becoming a reading specialist. She introduced countless children and fellow teachers to the miracle of metamorphosis. Since retiring in 2005, she has continued to educate and share her knowledge with other butterfly enthusiasts. Countless people across Oklahoma and even across the states have benefited from the knowledge that Sandy continues to share about butterflies, their host plants, and the native ecosystems that support all pollinators. She has served as the Monarch Watch Conservation Specialist for Oklahoma until 2023 and has been active on the Oklahoma Monarch and Pollinator Collaborative/Oklahoma Monarch Society.