Ask Chris
by CHRIS WINSLOW
Happiness is a butterfly which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne
The triple curled parsley that I planted last fall has now reached a height of three and a half feet and has hundreds of beautiful blooms.
And busy eating the foliage is the caterpillar or larvae for the black swallowtail butterfly.
Soon these multi-colored caterpillars will find a quiet place to form a chrysalis and begin their metamorphosis into adult butterflies.
Plants such as the triple curled parsley are a food source for the larvae stage of butterflies. They are called ‘host’ plants. By planting the right hosts, you can attract the types of butterflies that you would like to see in your garden.
For black swallowtails, the curled and flat-leaf (Italian) parsleys work well. The butterflies seem to track them down, even if I have them growing in pots in the greenhouse.
Other host plants for this butterfly species are dill, fennel and rue (Ruta graveolens).
For monarch and queen butterflies, try planting butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberose). This tropical milkweed grows to a height of 2 to 4 feet, and has beautiful orange and red flowers.
Besides being a host plant, milkweed also attracts butterflies because of its abundance of nectar. Nectar plants act as fueling stations or pit stops for many different species.
Other great nectar plants commonly found in our central Texas gardens are lantanas, butterfly bushes (Buddlea), pentas, mistflowers (Eupatoriums), mealy sages, Turk’s caps and wild bergamot.
The list of host and nectar plants is long and includes many native and adaptive species that thrive in our region with little care. Many add beauty with water conservation in mind.
Why not add a few of these drought-hardy species to your garden and be a good Lepidopteral host to these marvels of nature?
Happy butterfly gardening, everyone – and this weekend we’re going to be setting up our stand at the Zilker Garden Festival. If you are over that way, please drop by to say hello!
If you have a question for Chris, send it via email to [email protected]. Or mail a postcard to It’s About Thyme:11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748
