Best Zinnia for Butterfly Gardens: Lilliput??

Hi, Butterfliers,

I wonder what all of you experienced buttefly gardeners think about the best Zinnia for nectaring??

I just recently came across this study by the University of Kentucky siting 'Lilliput' as the most popular zinnia for BFs. That really surprised me since I rarely hear of it on the forum (or Garden Web, either). (I plant Benary's Giants from Renee's Garden seeds because I heard they were BF favorites)

Here are the varieties they planted:

"We used mixed-color plantings of four cultivars: Zinnia
violacea ‘Lilliput’, ‘Oklahoma’, ‘State Fair’, and Zinnia
marylandica ‘Pinwheel’. The colors for each cultivar were
‘Lilliput’: red, purple, rose, white, orange; ‘Oklahoma’:
scarlet, cherry, white, yellow; ‘Pinwheel’: cherry, rose, white,
orange, salmon; ‘State Fair’: red, purple, pink, white, yellow,
orange."

The whole study is available online at the link below.

So, what do you think?

(I'm reorganizing my garden this year and want to plant only the most attractive plants!)

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/dept/09zinnia.asp

t.

I have some mix "giant ? or elegans they really seem to love. And they adore the "Polar Bear' zinnia !

Thanks for including the article. I am going to add some liliputs to my garden.

I thought it was interesting that they didn't even bother to compare the Z. "benary's giants'elegans" and Z. "cut and come agains" which all the butterflly gardeners I know say are the best attractors...

Although if I were a butterfly and saw this field of lilliputs, I would surely stop for a nectar moment:

http://old.jace.seacrow.com/pics/garden/lalbagh2004/140.jpg

Penne, from what supplier will you get your seed? Do you think they are available off the rack?

I'm going to try my local nursery in the morning. Thompson and Morgan has it in stock.