Gray Hairstreak, Common Hairstreak - Strymon melinus

Gray Hairstreaks (Strymon melinus) are common throughout North America. In our Southern California gardens we can see up to 3 broods in a season. Larval foods include Oaks, Mints, Mallows, and plants in the pea family. Adults are happy with nectar from almost any blooming plants. Gray Hairstreaks can be a pest with corn and cotton crops. This Gray Hairstreak is feeding on Eriogonum fasciculatum. Gray Hairstreaks are 1.25", males and females are similar. We have an extensive list of plants that will attract these and other beauties to your butterfly garden.

High resolution photos of the Gray Hairstreak are part of our garden image collection.

Plants to attract the Gray Hairstreak, or Common Hairstreak to your garden:
Araujia sericifera * Bladder Vine, Cruel Vine, Moth Vine
Asclepias angustifolia * Arizona Milkweed
Asclepias californica * California Milkweed
Asclepias cordifolia * Purple Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica * Tropical Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica Red Butterflies * Red Butterflies Tropical Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica Silky Gold * Silky Gold Tropical Milkweed
Asclepias eriocarpa * Woollypod Milkweed, Indian Milkweed, Kotolo Milkweed
Aslepias erosa * Desert Milkweed
Asclepias fascicularis * Narrow Leaf Milkweed
Asclepias linaria * Pine Needle Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa * Showy Milkweed
Asclepias subulata * Rush Milkweed, Skeleton Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa * Butterfly Weed
Aster chilense
Aster Chilensis Purple Haze * Purple Haze California Aster, Purple Haze Pacific Aster
Asteriscus maritimus
Asteriscus sericeus
Baileya multiradiata
Bidens Bedance Painted Red
Calliandra californica
Calliandra eriophylla
Calliandra haematocephala
Calliandra haematocephala alba
Calliandra tweedii
Calendula Zeolights
Centaurea cyanus * Bachelor's Button
Centaurea cyanus Black Gem * Black Gem Bachelor's Button
Centaurea gymnocarpa * Dusty Miller
Centaurea montana * Mountain Bluet
Chrysothamnus nauseosus
Cirsium occidentale
Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit * Cheyenne Spirit Cone Flower
Echinacea purpurea * Purple Cone Flower
Echinacea Salsa Red * Salsa Red Cone Flower
Echinacea Sunset * Sunset Cone Flower
Echinacea White Swan * White Swan Cone Flower
Ericameria linearifolia
Ericameria nauseosa
Erigeron argentatus * Silver Fleabane
Erigeron blochmaniae * Blochman's Erigeron
Erigeron foliosus foliosus * Leafy Fleabane, Hartweg's Fleabane
Erigeron glaucus Bountiful * Bountiful Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus Cape Sebastian * Cape Sebastian Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus Sea Breeze * Pink Seaside Daisy, Sea Breeze Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus Wayne Roderick * Wayne Roderick Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus White Lights * White Lights Seaside Daisy
Erigeron karvinskianus * Mexican Daisy, Santa Barbara Daisy
Erigeron speciosus Aspen Fleabane, Showy Fleabane, Oregon Fleabane
Eriodictyon crassifolium * Felt Leaved Yerba Santa
Eriodictyon tomentosum * Woolly Yerba Santa
Eriogonum arborescens
Eriogonum cinereum
Eriogonum crocatum
Eriogonum fasciculatum
Eriogonum giganteum
Eriogonum grande rubescens * Pink Buckwheat
Eriogonum incanum * Frosted Buckwheat
Eriogonum latifolium * Seaside Buckwheat, Coast Buckwheat
Eriogonum parviflorum * Sea Cliff Buckwheat, Coastal Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum * Sulphur Buckwheat
Eriogonum wrightii * Bastardsage, Wright's Buckwheat
Eryngium planum * Blue Eryngo, Flat Sea Holly
Eryngium variifolium * Moroccan Sea Holly
Eryngium yuccifolium * Button Eryngo, Rattlesnake Master
Gomphocarpus fruticosus * Swan Milkweed, Narrow Leaf Cotton Plant
Gomphocarpus physocarpus * Family Jewels, Hairy Balls
Hoya carnosa * Wax Vine Isocoma menzeisii * Coastal Goldenbush
Lavandula allardii Meerlo
Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote * Hidcote English Lavender
Lavandula dentata
Lavandula dentata candicans
Lavandula Fred Boutin
Lavandula Goodwin Creek
Lavandula Grosso
Lavandula heterophylla
Lavandula multifida
Lavandula pinnata buchii
Lavandula Provence
Lavandula stoechas Atlas
Lavandula stoechas Coco Blue White
Lavandula stoechas Javelin Forte White * Javelin Forte White Spanish Lavender
Lavandula stoechas Madrid Purple
Lavandula stoechas Silver Anouk
Lessingia filaginafolia * California Aster
Leucanthemum superbum * Shasta Daisy
Lupinus albifrons * Silver Lupine
Lupinus arizonicus * Arizone Lupine
Lupinus bicolor * Miniature Lupine
Lupinus chamissonis * Dune Bush Lupine
Lupinus exubitus * Grape Soda Lupine
Lupinus grayi * Sierra Lupine
Lupinus hirsutissimus * Stinging Lupine
Lupinus microcarpus densiflorus * Chick Lupine
Lupinus stiversii * Harlequin Lupine
Lupinus succulentus * Succulent Lupine, Arroyo Lupine
Lupinus truncatus * Collared Annual Lupine
Osteospermum Blue Eyed Beauty * Blue Eyed Beauty Freeway Daisy
Osteospermum Bright Lights * Red Freeway Daisy
Osteospermum fruticosum * Freeway Daisy
Osteospermum Spider White * Spider White Freeway Daisy
Plumeria Celadine
Rudbeckia Tiger Eye
Santolina chamaecyparissus
Santolina Lemon Queen
Santolina virens
Scabiosa atropurpurea Black Knight * Black Knight Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa atropurpurea Royal Ruby * Royal Ruby Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa caucasica Fama Deep Blue * Deep Blue Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa causasica Perfecta Blue * Perfecta Blue Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa columbaria Butterfly Blue * Butterfly Blue Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa columbaria Pink Mist * Pink Mist Pinchushion Flower
Scabisoa cretica * Balaeric Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa farinosa * Dwarf Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa ochroleuca * Yellow Pincushion Flower
Sidalcea malviflora * Checker
Stokesia Blue Danube
Stokesia Peachies Pick
Stokesia Purple Parasols
Symphotrichum chilense
Tithonia rotundifolia * Mexican Sunflower
Trifolium wildenovii * Tomcat Clover
Verbena bonariensis * Purpletop Vervain
Verbena bonariensis Little One * Dwarf Purpletop Vervain
Verbena liacina De La Mina
Verbena lilacina Paseo Rancho
Verbena rigida