Hi, butterfliers, It's that season again where I become obsessed with attracting the most butterflies into our yard. I realized last year that I didn't have much here for the Red Admirals and I have been a bit perplexed by what would be a good choice for a host plant or two for them in our yard.
Here is what the "Butterflies and Moths of North America" says about their host plants:
(Red Admiral) Caterpillar hosts: Plants of the nettle family (Urticaceae) including stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), tall wild nettle (U. gracilis), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), pellitory (Parietoria pennsylvanica), mamaki (Pipturus albidus), and possibly hops (Humulus).
Now, my question is: Which of these is most "Garden Worthy"? I have had wild nettles in the yard by mistake from a mulch delivery. I also have a Hops vine, but is that the same as 'Humulus'? Or do they mean a Hops Tree? I also have Echinops Ritro which may or may not be a host (I forget).
Anyway, can one of you more experienced butterfliers comment on what you grow for 'Red Admiral' host plants and where you grow it? (Like 'out back by the shed' or 'in the front garden--it's so beautiful', or 'in my meadow' to give me an idea of where to make a space.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks. t.
How to attract Red Admirals with Host Plants??
Well, I haven't had any RA cats, so I'm no expert. I have heard of the hops (Humulus) being called hops vine, so is probably it. Hop Tree isn't a RA host plant (although it hosts other butterfly species). Not sure about that other one. If you don't like wild nettle, you could try the false nettle and hops. Anyone else have an idea?
Linda, Do you grow flase nettle as a garden plant? I am not familiar with it.
Hey, Tabasco,
I like those butterflies, too!! I found a Univ. of Calif. website which lists preferred hosts by butterfly type. You might be interested if you didn't see it already:
http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/~pjbryant/biodiv/bflyplnt.htm
There, it says Red Admirals have two preferred hosts, being Giant Stinging Nettle and Baby's Tears, which is a very short ground cover. Giant Stinging Nettle is big......and I don't know how "friendly" it is to gardeners, but I have bumped into some type of stinging nettle in the woods here and man, did that HURT!! I think that was Urtica dioca, which is used in many herbal rememdies.
Giant Stinging Nettle info:
http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/1060.htm
Baby's Tears is in PlantFiles. Baby's Tears is also called Angel's Tears.
There are a bunch of dead nettles that are used in herbal remedies, including teas and such. Golden Dead Nettle is a very nice ground cover, but I don't think it will snag the Red Admirals. You can try it, though. It likes part sun/part shade.
Thanks, fox. I looked up 'Baby Tears' (Soleirolia soleirolii) and sure enough it's that little leafed plant that we used to have as a house plant when I was growing up. Only now it looks like its turned into a terrible invasive. Especially in the UK and in California. Oh, dear. Well, I am sure there are other host plants for the R.A.
I have run into some Urtica in the meadows and woods too and I don't think I want those in the garden, either. Will have to do a little more research.
I just remember last year so many DG posters reported dozens Red Admirals in their yards...we have some, but certainly not dozens at a time. I think that would be fantabulous! (-:
I am going to do more research on the nettles and see if there is a 'garden worthy' one...
Well, I've only seen a couple of Red Admirals in FL although we're supposed to have them. We had a discussion going a while ago about the use of Florida Pellitory as it is listed as a host plant and is a weed lots of us down South have in our yard. My book also lists False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica) and Heartleaf Nettle (Urtica chamaedryoides).
Melanie
Here's a photo of the False Nettle. I don't know if it's in our woods or not. It looks rather undistinguished as a flowering plant...
http://www.nativeplant.com:9673/nativeplant.com/nativeplant.com/Plant_List/plant_page_template?Acronym=BOECYL
Yes, now that you mention it, I remember the pellitory discussion from last summer. 'Parietoria pennsylvanica' seems to be a weed everywhere.
Here is a link to a pic of Pellitory with a red admiral egg on it: http://butterflies.heuristron.net/plants/pellitory.html
I can't determine if we have this weed/plant in our yarden somewhere or not. Well, I know I didn't plant it, anyway.
we have had luck with stinging nettle for the Red Admirals
I have a patch on the outside border of our veggie garden, my thought was to ward off animals and our dog. Sometimes it does spread into the garden and I have to weed it out. Also, the dog often runs through it and scratches for awhile, which is how I know she did...so much for keeping her away from the garden :)
I also recently planted a hops vine but it is so new to us I haven't seen it attract any Red Admirals yet
Tab, the Shady Oaks butterfly farm in Fla, will give you free False Nettle seeds for your Red Admirals. You can also attract these butterflies by placing rotting fruit into a suet cage.
http://www.butterfliesetc.com/aaredadmiral.php
I only have the stinging nettle...just one plant so far. I just have it out of the way and well-marked. I used to have a little false nettle, but something dug it up one time.
We have a lot of nettles here. We also had a huge amount of RAs last year. Seemingly hundreds of them. I keep the nettles killed back close to the yard, but there are still lots of them a short way off in the woods. I guess I will have to leave them now! The butterflies were really attracted to my Echinacea pallida last year.
FYI ......Stinging Nettle makes a fantastic tea as well, great for your iron count and red blood cells. Makes an incredible tonic. When it became popular in the early 90s after research showed it's effectiveness against allergies ( This is why I drink it ) The price of bulk Nettles went through the roof and the quality dropped through the floor. I have been trying to get nettles for my back yard for some time now to dry for tea and hair tonic ( Indians used to use it ) to no avail. Now that I am in love with Butterfly gardening, it makes me want it all that much more! I would grow skads of it! The question is where and how do I obtain it?
TJB
I would glady dig you a clump, but unfortunately we also have lots of garlic mustard where the nettles are, and I sure don't want to spread any of that!!!
trillium, was it you? or someone else here on DG had posted a photo of ALOT of RAs on Echinacea it was really a site to see...I wish I could remember which thread it was on, I would post the link.
Also, I meant to mention before to anyone thinking of planting some stinging nettles... just beware, once nettles is planted it is really hard to eradicate. Before I convinced my family to keep the nettles, they had attempted a few times to kill it by digging it out and round-up, both to no avail, which I'm grateful and so are the RAs :)
Shadow, the woman we got our stinging nettles from recommended the tea too. If I recall she would even blanch it to get the 'sting' out and eat it on her salads
I have a perfect place in the back, away from everything else that I can place it. If I can control Burdock Root ( Let me tell you about my 5 year eradication event sometime ) I am sure I can control the nettles. I think the pay off in this case will be worth the effort....lol
Thanks
Some of the herbal sites have seeds for Urtica dioica nettles (the most commonly used herbal nettle). This is one below but googling will turn up more herbal nettle offerings. My friend who grows an unidentified stinging nettle says hers do spread a bit...she's into herbal teas and tonics and thinks that's fine! I would think that precautions similar to what people use for invasive mints might work if you don't have a "wild" area. Maybe a large pot or whiskey barrel or a small bed with some sort of barrier sunk down into the ground around the edges to prevent underground runners.
http://www.sandmountainherbs.com/nettle_stinging.html
OK. Great advice. I will do some research on the nettles. I am sure I can find a space for them, or maybe I already have them. There is something growing in my shrub border that looks like it and is very prickly....
Hey, trillium--your ID doesn't show the state/province where you garden?! It would be fun to know where all these Red Admirals congregate! Can you add your location to your name?? I remember that picture last summer too. I think that's why I'm making such a point of beefing up my R A offerings!
I'm working on getting all these host plants in the ground before spring is over too. Let's see...what else do I need?
Yes, I need more host plants for American Lady, Painted Lady, Baltimore Checkerspot....
What about chelone? Is that another one that is really a weed but can grow in the 'wild' garden as well?
Wind, is this the picture you mean? http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/3810/
It's one of my favorites as well. I wish I could be so lucky. I'm just happy my echinacea is blooming. Well, only one is blooming. I'm a little south of their normal range, and I haven't had much luck with them. Over in the Florida forum a bunch of us were griping about how we can't do much with coneflowers. This spring they seem to have come back a little stronger, so maybe they just needed more time to really establish in the intense Florida heat.
Melanie
I'm in WI. No, I didn't post the pix. I see several other people posted pix of them on Echinaceas as well, so the bflys must really like them! We had swarms of them last year. I don't know if it was just an incredible hatch or what. Now this year, everything seems to be behind, so I hope plants are blooming for them.
Yes! That's the pic I saw--jmorth posted it! Isn't it a treat?!
I want them in my garden too. I started loads of different echinaceas in my Wintersowing so I'm looking forward to a good butterfly season this summer!
Where is this picture that jmorth posted? I must see it!
TJB
It's on the link posted by mellielong above.
That's such a great picture!
it is a great photo isn't it! Melanie, you found it!!! that's the photo I remembered seeing....loved it :) I guess it isn't echinacea pallida but it was echinacea. I really love the pallida too and hope to have some here someday. I have some seeds but forgot to get them winter sown!
I saw a while ago that it had been added to the Bug Files and I was glad as that is a great picture. I think the butterflies enjoy all the species of echinacea!
What a great shot!....I made an attempt last year at a similar picture, but from the wrong angle....
Your picture is of Painted Ladies? Is that right, ShadowJack?
I think so......There were a million of them in Moms garden last year
shadowjack
I recently ordered several of the stinging nettles and they came in great shape. I'll look through my invoices and see where I got them from. The post office had damaged the box and the nursery had written warnings on the box about the contents. The post office people put the nursery box in a large plastic box so they wouldn't have to touch it. I thought that was pretty funny. I had never seen a red admiral in East Texas but last year I found one in my greenhouse that was laying on the shelf dead so I guess they are here occasionally.
jameso
What company did you order them from?....I would rather transplant than grow from seed.....LOL, amusing story about the packaging....
Shadow Jack, Great photo!
Please think about posting it in Bug Files under Painted Ladies. Everyone will enjoy it!
Funny story about the post office. They are very cautious these days, aren't they? Of course I wouldn't want to get stuck by a nettle either!
Don't you think we have stinging nettles growing around weed patches in the midwest?? I only wish I had someone to help me ID it! I suppose if I get stuck by a sharp thorn while walking I should stop and investigate the plant. That's probably the best ID.
Did your mom have Stinging Nettle around her gardens??
Thanks for including the link to Jmorth's picture. I remember seeing that last year when he posted it. I have never looked in the bugfiles previously. Now I have to take a leisurely trip through them.
Tabasco,
Contact your County Extension Service--they'll come out to your place and help you identify plants of interest. Or a National Forest or Park near you---someone will be able to help you. Some of the parks have ranger guides who'll take you out on a nature hike.
I saw some RA's around tall plox and clethra (sweet pepperbush) and Itea virginica "Henry's Garnet". Also just about any BF will be drawn to Joe Pye Weed and cimicifuga (buggane), or at least I saw some bees stuck on the bugbane for stretches at a time.
Oops, that should be tall phlox, sorry. My typing stinks!!
Yes, I'll get our ranger to help me out with IDs, although I often find that I am helping them out! County Extension here is pretty defunct, sorry to say.
I have several tall phlox and clethra in the yarden. This morning I'm planting several Echinaceas that I wintersowed. Also pulled some weeds (probably pellitory and thistles and nettles!) and found more returning echinaceas hidden away. My liatris are really bouncing back from last summer too.
I am pulling out verbena bonarienses in droves and if anyone wants it, please let me know. The butterflies love it, too. (I still have lots of it in the garden. Love it with daylilies, canna, echinaceas.
Must go out and work some more in the garden. Good weed pulling today. Rain has stopped. Wish the sun would shine!
I would love some more Verbena!....I can make a special place for it! I thought it was an annual? Cordeledawg sent me a plant and a beautiful care package ( Thanks again ) but I wont have much until next year....I will reimburse for the shipping....
TJB
Tabasco,
Here's a few very good threads in which Red Admirals are found on common flowers.
This first thread is my favorite!!!
Thanks to jmorth
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/737990/
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/773082/
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4060054
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4000639
Hi, pford, thanks for all the links. Yes, I have a boat load of nectar plants for butterflies, but I would like to plant the Red Admiral's very favorite host plant.
But I don't want to put a weedy host plant in the middle of the perennial border. If the favorite host plant is a 'weed' like nettle, then I have to find a discreet spot for it. I do have a hops vine growing, but it sounds like it's not so favored by the R A.
I am running out of room in my garden and don't have space for butterfly plants that don't work! LOL
Here is the list of Red Admiral host plants for anyone who didn't see it before:
Red Admiral Caterpillar hosts: Plants of the nettle family (Urticaceae) including stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), tall wild nettle (U. gracilis), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), pellitory (Parietoria pennsylvanica), mamaki (Pipturus albidus), and possibly hops (Humulus).
I planted a lot of my wintersown seedlings today including asclepias, liatris, zinnias, echinaceas, rudbeckias, parsley, fennel, dill, coriander, chervil and more. I'm hoping for a bumper crop of butterflies this summer.
We've already had quite a few--giant swallowtails, zebra swallowtails, tiger swallowtails, of course the cabbages, mourning cloaks and some others. Pretty good for this early in the season...
I ordered my "Monarch Watch" sign for the garden too!
This message was edited May 15, 2008 4:03 PM
Tabasco, your plant list sounds wonderful :) I discovered I did have a few seedlings of Echinacea pallida in a ws container! yippie, I didn't think I planted it.
I wish I had some chervil, I love that and I know I didn't sow any chervil. No swallowtails here yet for us. Also, where did you get the sign from?