I think it is more often a case of one plant being mistaken for something else that is either used similarly or looks similarly. Common names being what they are - essentially folk names assigned by those with no scientific background or really, without any education at all - it would seem pretty easy to encounter a plant one thought was something else just by appearance. And later to discover it was not the same plant at all. Case in point is blue false indigo, Baptisia australis, which creates a deep blue dye similar to that produced by true indigo, Indigofera tinctoria. They do have a very superficial resemblance and are both members of the Fabaceae so not terrifically out of reach for one to think they are the same plant if not that familiar with plant morphology. And then there is always the option of the original namer knowing them not to be the same plant but calling them the same common name anyway. Lack of imagination?? btw decoguy, some plants have multiple common names - as many as dozen or so English common names and a corresponding one or two or more in various other languages. Thank goodness for the latin binomials or we'd never know exactly what anyone was talking about!

According to my Brock and Kaufman field guide, I'm at the southernmost end of their range, Curt, but I've never actually seen any here. I see a good many duskywings, but they're all either juvenal's or horace's, which are supposed to use oaks. I wish the wild indigos WOULD come here - if I ever find a skipper cat on my plants, I'll plant some more for them. Sorry I steered you wrong kizzyseeds - maybe wild indigo duskywings fly in your area and would use baptisia. MissSherry

jibd, Here's my experience with your listed plants: Coral Honeysuckle (Hummingbird Clearwing Moth)-I've never tried, but it's certainly worth a shot. New England Aster-I have these for the Pearl Crescents; very pretty and hope to find cats on them someday. Purple Coneflower-without a doubt one of the most favored plants in my garden for nectaring; don't know if I've ever had a Silvery Checkerspot cat on them or not. I definitely wouldn't be without this plant! Shasta Daisy-the butterflies never showed any interest in mine so I ripped them out. Butterfly Weed-the milkweed here that is laid on the least, but the butterflies love it for nectaring. Common Milkweed-I've never tried, didn't want it popping up all over the place. Swamp Milkweed-2nd most liked milkweed here by the Monarchs for laying eggs; first most is tropical milkweed (annual). 'Silver Brocade' Artemisia-don't know if this is the kind of artemisia that I have but I get American Lady cats on it. Sunflower-my first attempt at planting these was this year and they didn't come up, probably because of the drought. Parsley-Black Swallowtail cats lay eggs on it here. Dill-BST cats lay eggs on that here too. Native violets-I get lots of fresh-looking Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies here every year; I'm guessing that they come from all of the violets that we have here. Hollyhock-I tried this plant for 3 years, but every year the sawfly larvae would have the plants skeletonized before I even saw any Painted Lady butterflies here. I ended up ripping it out. Black-eyed Susans-I've had Silvery Checkerspot cats on mine but not this year. False Nettle-this is only the first year that mine has been growing and because of the drought my plants haven't done well (even with watering). I saw Red Admiral butterflies, but I can't blame them for not wanting to lay on the plants. Other host plants that I have and have had luck with are: Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)-I get Wild Indigo Duskywing and Clouded Sulphur cats on this. Wild Senna (Cassia hebecarpa)-I also get sulphur cats on these plants. Wild Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)-I get Silver-spotted Skippers cats on my plants. I also have various typed of trees and bushes planted for host plants for the butterflies, but you didn't mention trees on your lists so I didn't know if you don't have the room for them...so I won't mention those. Best of luck with your garden! Cathy

Nj, if I've got it right, you are planning a higher-6" to 8"-mowing just for this coming growing season, and perhaps the one following, to interupt weed seed cycles. IF that is so, it is indeed a normal part of meadow establishment. I guess to answer your question, the only one that will flower despite this early-stage mowing is what you've already identified-Rudbeckia hirta. Not saying none of these others won't also, just that in my experience R. hirta is one that can be dependably counted on to flower despite these early-stage mowings. The thing I'm not getting though is the presence of the tree and shrub species within this mix. Not at all saying I don't like them, just I don't see how you can have a meadow in which woody plants are purposely part of the mix. Are you intending to have these woody species around the perimeter? That could work. Then, once you've got your meadow up and running, fire is the best tool, but timely mowing can and often does suffice, depending on other circumstances. Or, one can purposely let the meadow undergo natural succession. That's what happens in nature, in areas of the country like yours and mine which were formerly primarily forested. Meadows would indeed exist, but as a seral stage following a disturbance of some kind. When we create these things, we have to bring the disturbance to them if we want it to remain as meadow, prairie, etc. Quite an extensive plant list BTW. +oM