Certified Wildlife Habitat Tour 

Hello! Get ready to take some notes, because you're about to learn something! This is my backyard Certified Wildlife Habitat, and even I picked up a few things while researching the 50+ plants and 30+ pollinators that are beautifully documented in this highly informative video.
My name is Coelin Jasper, but my friends call me CJ, and I would like to formally welcome you to my channel Gratefully Outdoors where I promote health and wellness by engaging in healthy activities outside! Whether it's in your backyard gardening, trekking through some exotic jungle, or splashing around in the waves at some beautiful beach. I believe that nature truly is the best medicine, and that nothing reduces the stresses of everyday life like going outside and getting into nature. So come along with me as I share my passion for one of my favorite activities. Gardening! It is an extremely meditative and rewarding way to help yourself while helping your local wildlife. Creating a habitat where you can bring the wonders of the natural world closer and immerse yourself in all its splendor will bring joy and a sense of awe for all who visit. I love giving backyard tours and am very happy you joined me today!
My tour starts with the amazing Yaupon Holly. One of my garden guru mentors and good friends Taylor would refer to it as a hell of shrub! LOL. Aside from being an easily trainable ornamental evergreen that can be a bush or a small tree. It is North America's only naturally caffeinated plant. The birds love the beautiful red berries, and the honeybees find the blooms irresistible! I go on to share many more plants, being sure to include any cool moths or butterflies that use them as a host plant.
Here is a list of the host plants included along with their companions:
-Gegg's Mistflower and White Mistflower - Rawson's Metalmark
-Texas, Dallas Red, and Purple Trailing Lantana - Five-Spotted Hawk
-Turk's Cap - Turk's Cap White Skipper
-Tall Golden Rod - Silvery Checkerspot
- Pipevine/Dutchman's Pipe - Pipevine Swallowtail
- Purple Passionflower - Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary, Zebra Longwing, Julia Longwing
- Common Sunflower - Bordered Patch
- Texas Thistle - Painted Lady
- Butterfly, and Both Tropical Milkweeds - Monarch, Soldier, Queen
- Mustang Grape - Eight-Spotted Forester
- Mint - Gray Hairstreak
- Rue - Giant Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Anise Swallowtail
- Beggars Lice - Silver-Spotted Skipper
- Texas Mountain Laurel - Orange Sulfur
- Mesquite Tree - Reakirt's Blue
- Hackberry Tree - Hackberry Emperor, Tawny Emperor, Question Mark, Empress Leila
- Mistletoe - Great Purple Hairstreak
- Texas Persimmon - Gray Hairstreak
- American Holly - Henry's Elfin
- Red Mulberry Tree - Mourning Cloak
Most of these butterflies are very particular about their host plant. However a few of them, like the Painted Lady, Henry's Elfin, and Gray Hairstreak will lay their eggs on a wider variety of plants.
Honorable mentions that aren't host plant, but that will add a lot to your garden include:
- Chili Pequin
- Purple Heart
- The incredible pollinator magnet butterfly bush known as Buddleia
- Horsemint (Native Monarda that attracts Lightning Bugs)
- Texas Vervain
- Chocolate mint (Great in Coffee!) Will hybridize if planted near other mints
- Knockout Rose
- Sweet Almond Verbena
- Purple Bearded Iris
- Green Poinsettia
- False Willow
- Prairie Coneflower
- Jerusalem Sage
- Honeysuckle
- Coral Honeysuckle
- Black and Blue Salvia
- Crinum Lily
- Crossvine
- Star Jasmine
- Monarda aka Beebalm
- Evergreen Wisteria
- Crepe Myrtle
- Peach Tree
- Pumpkin
- Gypsy Pepper
- Silverleaf Nightshade
- False Dandelion aka Texas Dandelion
-Prickly Pear Cactus
Any and all of these plants would make excellent additions to your garden. So, if you would like to attract more honeybees, bumblebees, moths, butterflies, lizards, frogs and a whole lot more to your garden plug'em in! I should also add that Mockingbirds love Chili Pequins. Cedar Wax Wing love Red Mulberry, and Cardinal, Lesser Gold Finch, and Black-crested titmouse are all big fans of thistle and sunflower!
Hope you enjoy the tour! Happy Gardening! Gratefully Outdoors!
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