Vanessa cardui, the Painted Lady, can be found in nearly every state in the union, including Alaska and Hawaii.
Favorite nectar plants include: Allium, Apocynum, Asclepias, Buddleja, Cephalanthus, Cirsium, Erigeron, Lantana, Liatris, Pentas, Salvia, Tithonia, Verbena, and Vernonia, and Zinnia
USDA Growing Zones for these plants include: 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11

Host plants:
Achillea millefolium
Alcea rosea
Althaea
Althaea officinalis
Amsinckia
Amsinckia douglasiana
Anaphalis
Anaphalis margaritacea
Anchusa
Anchusa officinalis
Arctium
Arctium lappa
Arctium minus
Arctium tomentosum
Arctotis
Arctotis grandis
Arctotis stoechadifolia
Argemone mexicana
Argyrolobium
Artemisia
Artemisia frigida
Artemisia ludoviciana
Artemisia princeps
Artemisia stelleriana
Artemisia subdecurrens
Artemisia vulgaris
Berkheya
Berkheya discolor
Beta vulgaris
Blumea
Blumea alata
Boehmeria
Boehmeria nivea
Borago
Borago officinalis
Brassica rapa sarson
Calendula officinalis
Carduus
Carduus acanthoides
Carduus crispus
Carduus nutans
Carduus pycnocephalus
Carlina vulgaris
Centaurea
Centaurea nigra
Centaurea solstitialis
Chenopodium album
Chrysanthemum
Cirsium
Cirsium acaule
Cirsium altissimum
Cirsium arvense
Cirsium callilepis oregonense
Cirsium discolor
Cirsium douglasii canescens
Cirsium helenioides
Cirsium hydrophilum
Cirsium japonicum
Cirsium muticum
Cirsium neomexicanum
Cirsium occidentale
Cirsium scopulorum
Cirsium texanum
Cirsium undulatum
Cirsium vulgare
Citrus sinensis
Cnicus benedictus
Cryptantha
Cryptantha angustifolia
Cucumis melo
Cynara cardunculus
Cynara scolymus
Cynoglossum
Debregeasia bicolor
Dendranthema indicum
Dimorphotheca
Dimorphotheca pluvialis
Dolichos
Echinops humilis
Echium
Echium vulgare
Eriodictyon californicum
Eryngium
Euchiton japonicus
Filago
Filago arvensis
Filago pyramidata
Fragaria
Gamochaeta pensylvanica
Gamochaeta purpurea
Gazania
Gerardiina
Girardinia diversifolia
Glycine
Glycine max
Gnaphalium
Gnaphalium affiro
Gnaphalium declinatum
Gnaphalium purpureum
Gossypium
Helianthella
Helianthus annuus
Helianthus argophyllus
Helichrysum
Ipomoea batatas
Lablab purpureus
Lactuca sativa
Lantana
Laportea
Laportea allidens
Lappula
Lupinus
Lupinus albifrons
Lupinus arboreus
Lupinus argenteus
Lupinus articus subalpinus
Lupinus bicolor
Lupinus formosus
Lupinus perennis
Lupinus succulentus
Madia
Madia sativa
Malva
Malva moschata
Malva neglecta
Malva nicaeensis
Malva parviflora
Malva rotundifolia
Malva sylvestris
Malva verticillata
Malvella leprosa
Medicago sativa
Mentha
Mentha spicata
Myosotis
Nicotiana
Nicotiana glauca
Nonea
Obetia radula
Onopordum acanthium
Oryza sativa
Parietaria
Parthenium argentatum
Pentzia
Petunia
Phacelia campanularia
Phaseolus
Phaseolus vulgaris
Pisum sativum
Plantago lanceolata
Plantago major
Prunus
Raphanus sativus
Rhamnus
Ricinus
Ricinus communis
Rumex
Salvia
Senecio
Senecio cineraria
Senecio maritima
Serratula
Silybum marianum
Smilax china
Solanum tuberosum
Soleirolia
Sonchus
Sphaeralcea ambigua
Stachys floridana
Stoebe
Symphytum
Symphytum officinale
Tanacetum
Trifolium
Ulmus americana
Ulmus davidiana
Urtica
Urtica dioica
Urtica dioica gracilis
Urtica massaica
Urtica thunbergiana
Urtica urens
Wyethia glabra
Xanthium
Xanthium spinosum
Xanthium strumarium canadense
Zea mays
Zornia diphylla