That's it, butterfly chaos!

I don't think anybody's ever listed coreopsis of any kind as a favorite nectar plant, so that's really interesting, Susan!

Sherry

This one is really pretty, too, it has quilled or fluted petals which are unusual. nice mounding habit, very tidy little plant! I wasn't expecting much from it either, but was pleasantly surprised. Said to be highly tolerant of heat and humidity, blooms all summer.

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Coreopsis Jethro Tull

Susan,

Here the butterflies are nectaring on Little Henry Itea, Amsonia tabernamontanae (sp?), and purple clover. The yard is full of butterflies, and I watched a Common Checkered Skipper lay eggs on some small plant today. I need to check out their host plant list.

I'm lovin' it! Need to check out that coreposis as I don't have it. Thanks.

Sandy

Hi Susan,

I got the Jethro Tull Coreopsis this year, but I haven't seen any nectaring from the butterflies, yet. Glad you are having success with this nectar plant. I will keep an eye out to see if the butterflies gravitate to the JTC.

So far the favorite in my yard seems to be duranta, sapphire showers. We had a mild winter and the blooms are just unbelievably beautiful and abundant.

Mechelle

The butterflies are using my big lantana more than anything else. They occasionally visit pentas, Salvia guarantica and S. microphylla 'Hot Lips' but mostly they stick to the lantana.

When the Mexican sunflowers start blooming, they'll replace the lantana as favorite!

Sherry

MissSherry, do you shear your Salvia Hot Lips back after the initial spring flush of bloom?

Mechelle - my Coreopsis did not do much last year either, but this year, it took off and went nuts. It didn't bloom much either, OTOH, nothing did much last year in the heat and drought, and I had very few butterflies.

I bought that Duranta one year to grow as an annual (not perennial here in OKC). I thought it was such a pretty plant. But, it didn't attract much at all, so I didn't include it in the succeeding year. I know that's not much of a trial run, because butterfly tastes can vary from year to year. So I probably did not give it a fair chance. A general rule of thumb in my garden for a good trial, IMHO, is 3 years. If a plant doesn't do a good job over that period of time, out it goes.

I just love the blooms on this little Coreopsis and I may just go back to Precure and see if they have more of it to stuff in 20 gallon tubs.

Susan

Very interesting. I Googled your Bungle in the Jungle flower..and well...it's alright by me!!! So cool looking. Looks like each petal is sort of tubular. The only Coreopsis I have in the yard is Nana, and she doesn't get any attention from anything. Hmmm...may need to have this.

Susan, my 'Hot Lips' blooms continuously from spring until late fall. It got too big last year, so I cut it back early this spring. It's already grown back a lot, so I imagine I'll have to prune it about every other year, maybe even every year. I like to prune in early spring, in late February, usually, depends on the type of season we're having.

'Hot Lips' is one of my favorite plants. It's SO easy to grow, it blooms continuously, and I love the variety of the flowers, some pure white, some pure red, most a combination, each combination a little different from the others.

Sherry

Sherry, mine just hasn't bloomed all that well for me. I like Cherry Queen better. The red is better and I like the black calyxes on it, which seems to set off the red even more. Maybe I need to fertilize? I just thought Salvias were one of those plants that didn't need much fertilizer, preferring a lean soil, and didn't need much care either.

Bandzmom - heehee, very funny! Well, butterflies are capricious and you just never know what their tastes will be from year to year! They may hate the Coreopsis next year!

Susan

Ok Susan - I added Jethro Tull to my wish list. I don't always have good luck with coreopsis but I keep buying them anyway. I got Snowberry last year but it hasn't returned so I assume it's dead. We really didn't have a wet winter so I don't know why. I bought native Lanceleaf Coreopsis this year which is supposed to attract butterflies. I'll let you know. Did you plant Jethro in the ground or keep him in a container?

Cherry Queen sounds beautiful, Susan! Do you know if it's a type of S. microphylla? Most cultivars of salvia on the market are types of S. gregii, and those don't do well here, don't bloom much, and die out after a few years.

I'll look it up myself, since I'm always interested in new plants to try.

Sherry

Christie, I grow Jethro in a container where it gets very good drainage. It's hardy enough you can do that (zone 5). It seems very happy.

MissSherry, I think Cherry Queen is a greggii, so it may not work for you. But, the saving grace could be that it is also likely a cross between a greggii and blepharophylla. Of course, some say the foliage is very similar to a microphylla, too. So, who knows? It is a Dufresne hybrid,

Susan

Yes, it was listed as a Greggii, but the flowers are beautiful in the pictures, Susan. I may just have to try it anyway. Plants keep surprising me, so maybe Cherry Queen will, too!

Sherry