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Butterfly Garden

Need advice from central texans on host plants...

16 years ago

This is my second year butterfly gardening, and last year was so awesome, I wanted to make it better this year. I have the usual host plants such as milkweed, rue, fennel, dill, pipevine, wafer ash, willow, and elm, but I wanted to plant more for other BF such as red admirals, american ladies and especially buckeyes. Has anyone around here had luck with hosts for these, and if so, what did you plant? I read in my books, that painted ladies use pearly everlasting and artemisia, I've never even seen those for sale in nurseries around here. Also, what could I plant to attract the buckeyes? My favorite butterfly, but I've never seen them on my snapdragons, and it seems most of their other host plants grow wild. Any input from anyone would be helpful. Thanks,

Shari

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Comments (5)

mssunflower
16 years ago
Shari,

Have you tried Ruellia (Mexican Petunia)? If you do, please keep in mind that it is a bit invasive (alright, a whole lot invasive). I have read that this is a favorite of the Buckeye (yes, I fell in love the first time I saw one of those gorgeous critters) but have never seen one on mine. However, last year I saw one on my native orange lantana just nectaring away and this is a plant that would not be quite so invasive, easy to care for (cut it back and mulch over for winter) and such a pretty sight to behold. I also have a lantana in a pot that I have overwintered for about 4 years and have purple reullia planted in the same pot with it and that is the lantana that I saw the Buckeye on.

Hope this helps.

Ms. Faith
nancy86
16 years ago
Hey Shari

I was in Navasota on Sunday, and there were Buckeyes everywhere. I couldn't believe it because I have not seen any in Houston. It was a real treat. I couldn't think off the top of my head what their host plants were to let the woman I was with know what she might plant because she was taken with them too. But somewhere on or near her property was plenty of their host plant(s) because they were so numerous.

And on a side note, I have yet to see any caterpillars on my ruellia. And it does spread! It has jumped from my backyard to my front yard. Someone told me the birds probably spread the seed between the front and the back yards. But I just leave it where it grows, like the milkweed. There is sort of an organized chaos to my yard. Ha-ha! It's all for the butterflies!
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khakitag
Original Author
16 years ago
My twin sister (and next door neighbor) has quite a bit of ruellia in her yard, and I had heard that buckeyes use it, and always check her plants but have never seen any one them. For that matter, haven't seen many flying in my yard at all. Maybe last year was just a bad year for them here. I've seen only one so far this season, but I think it's still a little early for them.
treelover
16 years ago
Does anyone know if buckeyes will use dwarf Katie ruellia? It doesn't spread like the regular stuff...stays about 12" high, too. Blooms are pink, white or violet.
susanlynne48
16 years ago
Shari, they use plantain in my yard. A common weed in many lawns and does spread. Mine is contained in an area where they shouldn't get out of control, but we'll see. Dwarf snaps are another host for them. But, in your area, I don't know how well the snaps will do, since they tend to die out in heat. I had a tall snap last year and it did kind of wimp along in the hotter part of the summer, but grew nicely in spring and fall. This year I purchased some dwarf snaps.

I'm not too far from you (dallas?). I'm in OKC. I think the buckeyes have been known to use many plants as a host, though, so you might want to google Buckeye host plants. There is a website available for Texas host plants and butterflies. Try the Dallas Butterfly Association. They have quite an extensive list of various host plants for butterflies in Texas.

Susan

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