I would like to know if Red Passion Vines attract GF's also. I have never seen one before. I am thinking of buying it and keeping it in its container until April when I can plant it. However, I am not going to buy one if it doesn/t attract the butterflies to lay their eggs.
Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks,
Chuck
Red Passifloras
My Lady Margaret still has GF's - yes we're still that (boring) warm even at Christmas!
Taken 2 days ago - not the best pic, but wanted to show the flower as well as the GF.
most of the red ones are not good for Gulf frits larval and they usually won't go to them. I don't know why. I read it somewhere but forget all i read about it
All I know is most of the butterflies I had this past season were GF's and there were tons. I also had monarchs.
Sharon
Are the GFs laying eggs on the LM or just checking it out? I have a passy incense that they were checking out but I didn't see any egg laying.
Maggie
They laid eggs as well. We had several eclosing this past summer/spring. Had other butterflies as well - I'll be planting more vines this Spring.
Long Tailed Skipper
can't remember the name of this fellow!
It's a lovely Zebra Longwing Sharon :-)
MySharona - Do you get any fruit from your Lady Margaret PV? If so, I'd sure love some seeds!
(I think I already asked you this before!) Love that red color! Very, very pretty! Lucky you!
I have 3 fruit right now...if I get any seeds I'll let y'all know!
I also had this little guy - (only recently got into butterfly-ing)!! I've got tons to learn...this one is yellow with brown'ish spot..
This message was edited Dec 24, 2006 10:57 AM
It's might be best to avoid the red passies until you're sure which ones are bad for the butterfly cats. What I've always heard is that the butterflies lay eggs on them, but the cats cannot survive on them. Many red passies are sold in nurseries without a botanical name to be able to tell. I've always avoided any red ones.
not the greatest pic, but one I took just as the cat was starting "weave"(?) it's chrysalis.
MySharona - That's a Gulf Fritillary! I have them all over my yard and just love them! Such gorgeous orange wings!
Linda - I do know for a fact that there are a couple varieties of red flowering PV that the butterflies DO use to eat. I think MySharona has one of those varieties. Seems that I read somewhere that the Lady Margaret PV are one of them. But you are correct, many are NOT host plants for butterflies.
I think it depends on who were the parents....Lady M is a P. coccinea X P. incarnata cross. The GFs will use both of those as a host.
MySharona - Hang out with us here on this forum and you will learn the names of a LOT of the butterflies. That's where I have learned so much! Welcome to cyberland for butterfly lovers!
CBernard Lady Margret is one red Passi they will use. But i know they won't use Vitafolia and Violacea