Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Fellow butterfly gardeners - I need zinnia seeds, 1 by TexasPuddyPrint

TexasPuddyPrint wrote:
I need help - have requested trades on the seed exchange - but figured you guys are my best bet - as we all plant what will attract butterflies and moths.

I need lots and lots of zinnia seeds - I don't mind chaff or complete seed heads as I will be tossing them out into the back field.

Well, ya'll...as most of you know I did some trades earlier in the year for all kinds of butterfly nectar plant seeds and plowed up an area and sowed a mix of seeds out in the back forty at the ranch. The little seedlings were growing and well and on their way to establishing themselves after the good rain and weather we've been having. I was so thrilled to see all those tender young leaves!!!

Notice I said "were"

- well, went out to check on them this weekend and found all the tender seedlings and sprouts eaten to the ground!!! Lots of deer tracks - guilty critters!

Oh well, we allowed the property to revert back to its native state and have been feeding the deer corn, sorghum and mineral/salt blocks because we want the deer to have a place of refuge (lots of hunters in the surrounding properties).

Sad to say...they've made themselves right and home and have obviously enjoyed themselves immensely - must've thought...what nice people...they even put in a salad bar for us!!!

However...they did not touch the zinnias???!!! Go figure. So now there is a small patch of zinna plants and there were at least two dozen butterflies on them :o) So am thinking I need to do some trades for bulk zinnia seeds :o)

Okay...so I need lots and lots of zinnia seeds - bulk amounts - in quart baggies or more. Any kind, any color - doesn't matter - they are all good for me - I don't mind chaff and will take complete seed heads if you're dead-heading your plants.

Am willing to pay for postage (via PayPal or personal check) if you have bulk amounts - if you don't want postage I can trade some plants and cuttings I have:

Green Shrimp Plant (Blechum browneii) rooted - larval host for the Malachite butterfly

Jasmine bush (Cestrum parquii) - fresh cuttings (supposed to be the larval host for the clearwing butterflies that stray over from Costa Rica)

Hoya obovata (rooted) - butterflies and moths enjoy the blossoms

Hoya - unknown - two kinds - fresh cuttings

Brugmansia white - fresh cuttings - good for sphinx moths

Brugmansia salmon - fresh cuttings - good for sphinx moths

Mexican Flame Vine (Senecio confusus) fresh cuttings - good nectar source

Sedum - not sure if it is texana - small yellow flowers - rooted

Crinum - pink (fresh bulbs)

Golden Pothos - huge leaves - fresh cuttings of stem with nodes - works great in shady areas - I have mine growing up two huge oak trees - they cover the trunk completely

Cherokee Bean aka Coral Bean (Erythrina herbacea) seedlings about 5" tall

Yellow Orchid Vine aka Yellow Butterfly Vine (Mascagnia macroptera) fresh cuttings - perhaps with small roots forming

Plumeria white or pink (not sure which are which) - cuttings

Chalice vine - solandra grandiflora - rooted or fresh cuttings - be forewarned the rooted ones are big

* RARE* Yellow Morning Glory (Ipomoea ochracea) seeds

D-mail me if you have bulk amounts of zinnia seeds - by bulk am talking about a quart baggie full or more :o)

Here's a photo of what the deer left - the grass has grown again and needs to be re-tilled as well. One measely little patch of zinnia still proudly stands :o) It looks great up close too. However, I need lots more zinnia or deer resistant seeds.

~ Cat