Nectar Plants for Butterflies&Hummers Seed Exchg. Discussion

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debnes_dfw_tx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Nov 03, 2006

Quoting:
deb--why don't you start a Nectar Seed Exchange Thread. I bet everyone has collected many of their favorite seeds and would be willing to do some trades this winter?
quote Tobasco

From:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/661953/ Any Host Plant questions or events can be shared there.

Here we go everyone! I am pleased to be opening your support forum for Nectar Plants..
Tobasco and I have been moderating the above Thread for some time now focussing on Host Plants. The plants on which specific caterpillars feed on before becoming Butterflies. T has a lot of seeds as do I, which I will post after launching this thread.I know a lot of you have been enjoying BFs in your gardens a long time, and some only this year...but now we shall really dig in and discuss it all. (I know many of you have been anticipating this section of our discussions, and so have I.)

Have fun!!

Deb
http://theletteroflove.com/wallpaper we have a few pages of eye candy, info, and free wallpapers

Pic of Cosmos, with snapdragons and parsley in the background

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Post #2878806
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debnes_dfw_tx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Nov 04, 2006

From the Host Plants Discussion Thread
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/661953/

Quoting:
deb---
One thing, though, about butterflies and hummers--the hummers like a somewhat different nectar plant selection from the BFs--
hummers go more for (red ?) tubular flowers--trumpet vines, honeysuckles, cardinal flowers, etc., and the BFs seem to go more for flowers with 'landing stations' like cone flowers. sedums, and the color purple (some say).
It took me a while to figure this out! )-: Also, hummers like to eat insects and I wonder if that includes tiny caterpillars?
~T


Thanks T,
Glad you brought out that distinction about Nectar providing blooms, good to keep in mind as we go along. They probably share as many in common as they do separately. That would be something to point out again and again as we go along too.
I don't believe caterpillars would be in any danger fropm being eaten by hummers, because they like smaller flying insects like mosquitos and other flies.

I was very impressed by how this fellow DGer trained his to grow and in this picture you can see what I mean by size is important thing when it comes to choosing where to install these plants:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/39966/

I know one plant the hummers and butterflies both loved this year. Whoever plants this shrub will want a permanent position with plenty of room. Some get as tall as 20+ feet tall over the course of 15 years time. They also can be pruned and cared for to keep much much smaller. It is similar to the common Buddelija, however hummers lik it much better. It is called by several names: Texas Lilac, Vitex, Chaste Tree & Monks Pepper, just to mention a few. Butterflies love it too, though about the same as Buddelija. I had both plants this year, about 10 feet away from each other. It was not hard to see which one who preferred in real garden time.

A picture says a thousand words:
These little hummers would come to it about every 10-15 minutes or so throughout the hot days of Summer.

This message was edited Nov 3, 2006 8:02 PM

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Post #2879458
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debnes_dfw_tx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Nov 04, 2006

Again the Vitex, but with a Painted Lady customer that stayed for a very long time, ignoring the adjacent Buddelija.
Just calling it as I see it on his one. I kept telling her that the other one was a "Butterfly Plant", and she just ignored me... go figure.

Note the difference in the tiny flowers up close on the bloom clustered cones, the stamens make it look like a pincushion.. Buddelija has a smoother profile.>/i>
Both hummers and Butterflies seemed to adore this Nectar Host!

Deb

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Post #2879515
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debnes_dfw_tx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Nov 04, 2006

I have about about 1/2lb. of the Vitex above, by the way:o)

The Hyacinth Bean Vine is a gorgeous plant with it's red-violet pealike blossom cascades on colored trails. Even the leaves have the purplish veins.. Striking! Hummers love HBean Vine for sure, and whether BFs like it too, (?) I'm not sure firsthand. Maybe some of you readers of the thread will know and tell us.

Depends on your zone whether it is perennial or anual, please tell us that too if you all know.:o)

It is so so easy to propigate, by seed or by cuttings which will show root in a bottle of water after about 1 week. I just harvested about 1/4lb of bean pods today which were crispy and browned and ready to send out. Would probably make a good winter sow, and a geat accent to a Tutuer, a fence, or Trellis of any kind.

Anyone want some please send me SASBE for these. Dmail me and I will give my address or see the DG address exchange where I posted it.


Deb

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Post #2879648
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grampapa Wheatfield, NY(Zone 6a) Nov 04, 2006

Deb, I'm sure the Hyacinth bean is easy to grow. what about the vitex? I'd love to try it. buddleia is on the list of foreign invasive plants that I am trying to avoid in my landscape and the vitex is an excellent alternative.

gram

Post #2879707
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debnes_dfw_tx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Nov 04, 2006

I have plenty fo seed for you to try it with gram... The seeds are like small pappercorns, hence the "Monks Pepper" tag. I have yet to germinate them myself yet though I will put some in a process and let you know.
Your yard sure has a lot of room for one or 2, I know that! I want to plant them on my sisters acre too, in a couple weeks.. I will do backups too it by spring they ahven;t come up.

I~magine they would take about 6-12 months to get to blooming, (established), similar to the hibiscus, which I also have an abundance of seed for,
Deb


I really love this one too, it blooms daily all Spring and Summer and is hardy hardy har har!! I pinch it for most of the Summer too, to encourage it more.

Hibiscus I have seeds in 3 colors of this one> Lots of White & of Pink, and just a few packs of the more rare Yellow.

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Post #2879774
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tabasco Cincinnati (Anderson, OH(Zone 6a) Nov 04, 2006


I am intriqued by the vitex, too. Deb, do you know what hybrid you have in your garden?

I found this article from the Texas A & M Extension about Vitex--it sounds like they have done some great hybridizing work on it in recent years.... http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/cemap/plumbago/plumbago.html

Some garden catalogs say it is hardy to Zone 7 and others have said as far north as Zone 4. I wonder how sensitive the plant is--anybody know?

deb, is your hibiscus liked by the BFs?

Post #2881563
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debnes_dfw_tx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Nov 05, 2006

Judy, my Vitex seeds are for the same plant as in the picture in your link.. It's the new one, I'm pretty sure. It seems to be very hardy too, not so sensitive at all, definatly worth a try up there. The one I had was in a 2 Gallon pot, I had not installed it when my mom saw it, and well... can you say no to your mommie?? I gleaned a load of seed from it bedore she got it, and it was already blooming again.

Yes the Butterflies like Hibiscus, most all varieties.. some even find it a host plant, but I am not sure if it is the one I have. I do know all nectar lovers come to it..
some resources say Rose of Sharon is on the top 10 for Hummers... The Rose Mallow has much larger blooms than RoS.. but has the same nectar properties.

Here is a little list of Nectars Hummers go for:

Bee Balm
Butterfly bush
Cardinal flower
Columbine
Coral bells
Daylily
Foxglove
Geranium
Gladiolus
Hibiscus
Hollyhock
Honeysuckle
Impatiens
Lupine
Morning glory
Petunia
Phlox
Salvia
Scabiosa
Trumpet vine
Verbena
Vitex
Yucca


Pic of Purple Horsemint/Bee Balm

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Post #2882213
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tropicalkaren St Augustine, FL(Zone 9a) Nov 05, 2006

And continuing that list:

Angelonia
Cuphea
Lantana
Milkweed
Penta
Plumbago
Stoke's Aster

Post #2882352
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luvsgrtdanes (Ronnie), PA(Zone 6b) Nov 05, 2006

I have vitex negundo that I have been growing for quite some time. The nursery said it wasn't hard for our area Z6 it reseeds like crazy and flowers the same year. I imagine for a warmer zone you would get even faster growth. the painted ladies love it! I will add it to my trade list when I have it together.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/shrubs/vitex_negundo.html

Post #2882383
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debnes_dfw_tx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Nov 16, 2006

Oh yeah a must have for sure, Vitex! Hummers go nuts for it too!

I posted updates in the threads here:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/661953/ Host thread
& http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/667302/ Nectar Thread

Post #2919887
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