Butterfly Caterpillar Host Plants

Large 8"+ wide pink flowers with overlapping petals 'airbrushed' with white extending to near the middle of the flowers and with a deep red eye are produced over an extended period beginning in late spring to summer (depending on your zone) and flowering into fall. Airbrush Effect Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is an 'indeterminate' flowering selection meaning that it flowers over a longer period than older cultivars. This is a compact 3-4'H x 4-5'W plant with rich green foliage well suited to moist sunny sites in the garden and landscape. Provide a moderately fertile soil to help encourage vigorous growth and flowering. Image courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11710

Wide flat-topped clusters of white flowers are produced in spring atop sturdy stems adorned with deep green finely cut deep green foliage. American Wild Carrot, Daucus pusillus, is a native annual common to roadsides throughout much of the US and is commonly confused with the non-native Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus carota, which is a parent to the common Carrot. The flowers attract bees and other garden beneficials and once through flowering the flattened clusters curl upward at the outer edges creating a protected 'nest' of ripening seeds. The American Wild Carrot makes an easy addition to naturalistic roadside plantings, meadows, and prairies where it readily reseeds on exposed soils. Full sun is preferred in average to well-drained soils. Item# 12027

Large clusters of white late spring flowers produce green berries that ripen to a blue-black. The flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators and the edible fruits attract a variety of wildlife, especially birds. Arrowwood Viburnum is a vigorous growing, naturally rounded, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with rich green foliage and is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions. Fall color includes yellows, orange, reds, and near purple. Arrowwood Viburnum makes an easy hedge, background specimen, or screen. Easy and reliable. Item# 10320.

4-5" wide flowers with white petals and sepals are topped by a crown of white filaments with a light purple halo surrounding the central portion of these exotic looking flowers. Bahama Blue Passion Flower is a beautiful and vigorous free flowering selection of the Blue Crown Passion Flower, Passiflora caerulea, with all its hardiness and reliability. The nectar rich flowers are adored by larger bees and the foliage is a host to a variety of butterflies. Item# 11222

An unusual conversation starting Milkweed that is eagerly consumed by caterpillars of Monarchs, Queens, and possibly Soldier butterflies. Balloon Milkweed is a vigorous heat and sun loving tropical African shrub that is grown as a dieback perennial except in areas with mild winter climates. It produces clusters of 1/2" wide cream to white star shaped flowers with a purplish 'eye' and the flowers attract butterflies along with a variety of other pollinators. Balloon Milkweed is adaptable to a wind range of soil types as long as they are well-drained and is moderately drought resistant once well established. Item# 10974.

The dark colored purplish-bronze finely textured foliage makes a beautiful addition to the perennial border or the butterfly garden. Mix it with Golden Delicious Pineapple Sage or other yellow foliaged and flowering plants for a great combination. Item #9121.

Tall spikes of dark golden yellow 1" blooms are born in summer and fall on an upright growing shrub. Called Popcorn Cassia because when brushed or crushed the foliage emits the wonderful fragrance of freshly buttered popcorn. Item# 9018.

Tall candles to 18" high that are composed of golden yellow blossoms and buds rise well above the foliage of this popular pass along plant from mid to late summer well into fall for an outstanding show. The Candlestick plant is a moderately fast growing and vigorous sun loving tropical that is excellent for the back of the border. Attracts butterflies as well as serves as a host to Sulphur butterfly caterpillars. Reseeds readily. Item# 10017.

Crème de la Crème™ Summer Spice™ Perennial Hibiscus boasts a near endless summer display of white flowers with a burgundy eye held against deep green foliage. Flowers are produced from early summer until first frost atop a compact 3' x 3' plant. The Summer Spice™ Perennial Hibiscus is an award winning series of new perennial or hardy Hibiscus developed by the Texas A&M University AgriLife Research and the Texas Foundation Seed Service and are being marketed by JBerry Nursery. Images and the information provided are courtesy of JBerry Nursery. These Hardy Hibiscus also make great additions to bog gardens and moist areas. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in a moist rich garden soil. Item# 11613

This native perennial Hibiscus boasts large 6-8" wide typically white but occassionally pink flowers with a dark burgundy eye. The Crimson-Eyed Rosemallow, Hibiscus moscheutos, is common in moist and wet areas as the name implies but is tolerant of average moist garden soils but may require extra moisture during dry spells. This is a vigorous and hardy native perennial that can reach 5-7' high but is more commonly found at 4'. The foliage may be used as a butterfly caterpillar host by Hairstreaks, Blues, Coppers, and others. Hibiscus moscheutos is one of the main species used in breeding of the large dinner plate-sized Hardy or Perennial Hibiscus cultivars. Item# 9399

This native perennial Hibiscus boasts large 6-8" wide typically white but occassionally pink flowers with a dark burgundy eye. The Crimson-Eyed Rosemallow, Hibiscus moscheutos, is common in moist and wet areas as the name implies but is tolerant of average moist garden soils but may require extra moisture during dry spells. This is a vigorous and hardy native perennial that can reach 5-7' high but is more commonly found at 4'. The foliage may be used as a butterfly caterpillar host by Hairstreaks, Blues, Coppers, and others. Hibiscus moscheutos is one of the main species used in breeding of the large dinner plate-sized Hardy or Perennial Hibiscus cultivars. Item#12023

The huge 8-9" wide ruffled white flowers sporting darker pink veining with a dark burgundy eye shine like spotlights against the foil of dark burgundy to near black foliage and are produced throughout summer. A top performing selection, Dark Mystery Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous and reliable clump forming perennial Hibiscus with a good branching habit. It is sure to be a star in almost any garden or landscape! Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, Dark Mystery is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating a knockout display in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12060

The deep dark blackberry purple neatly pleated hose-in-hose flowers of this exquisite Columbine are narrowly edged in contrasting white and are held above a foil of softly textured blue-green foliage. Double Pleat Blackberry™ Columbine flowers over an extended period beginning in spring and continuing into summer under good conditions (we have seen this plant flower on and off through much of summer). Provide midday and afternoon or filtered shade in hot summer climates and a moist but well-drained mineral soil for the longest flowering and best vigor. Columbine make a natural addition to cottage garden settings and can be enjoyed as container plants as well as in the garden and landscape. Columbine are not always long lived perennials but readily reseed on bare soils. Aquilegias also make for good fresh cut flowers. Item# 11658

The dwarf form of it's much larger cousin and native to the sandy and sandy loam soils of much of the southeast US. The Dwarf Pawpaw produces 3-5" green-yellow elongated fruit that eventually turn brown to nearly black when ripe. It is reported to have a banana custard-like flavor, some say that fully ripe fruit of the Dwarf Pawpaw is equal to the Pawpaw, while others firmly disagree. Produces small maroon to greenish flowers flowers in spring. A small to medium-sized, spreading to upright, moderately slow growing, native deciduous shrub. A caterpillar host plant of the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. Seedling grown. Plant two for pollination. Item# 10232.

White petals alternate with lavender sepals that are topped by a wide corona of frilly white filaments that darken to purple. Frederick Passion Fruit is self-pollinating and the flowers are followed by large purple fruit with a sweet tangy flavor once fully ripe that can be eaten fresh or juiced. This is also considered to be one of the most reliably cold hardy Passionfruit varieties surviving well into zone 9. A vigorous dense and free flowering selection. Can be grown as a container plant where not hardy. Item# 11253

1" wide dark maroon pipe-like flowers are edged and veined in soft yellow and are edged in a loose yellow fringe and are borne from spring to fall. The 2-3" wide rounded to heart shaped foliage is accented by white veins and is used by the Pipevine Swallowtail as a host plant. Use Fringed Dutchman's Pipevine as a hardy deciduous groundcover, allow it to spill from containers, or in hanging baskets to better display the unusual flowers. Item# 9681.

The fragrant very large 5" wide cupped flowers, when pollinated, produce the largest fruit of any of the Passion Fruits and mature to be 5-6" wide and 8-12" long (wow!). The Giant Granadilla, Passiflora quadrangularis, is a vigorous tropical vine with winged square stems and large oval leaves. It prefers a deep, well-drained, moist to average moist, fertile soil and a full to partly sunny position. High humidity and temperatures of 60^oF or more are required for fruit set and pollination. The Giant Granadilla is considered to be self-sterile and so it requires another species or a different clone (ours are clonally propagated), like Passiflora phoenicia 'Ruby Glow', for cross pollination. Item# 11818

Clusters of white to lilac, up to 1" wide, star-shaped, lightly fragrant flowers are produced nearly continuously throughout the warmer months of the year. The large velvety, white to gray green, large rounded tropical foliage of the Giant Milkweed make excellent fodder for Monarch caterpillars and one leaf can provide a substantial amount of food. A large growing shrub in tropical climates where it can be trained into a tree form, grown as a shrub, or hedge. The Giant Milkweed can easily be maintained as a large container plant. Item# 11038

Golden Alexanders ( zizea aurea) produces flat topped clusters of tiny yellow flowers atop tall 2-3' high stems in spring atop the rosette of glossy lobed foliage. This is a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae previously Umbelliferaceae, and is a host of the Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. A native clump forming perennial, Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea, is found throughout the central and eastern US. It is commonly found in moist woodlands, roadsides, meadows, and prairies. The flowers attract a variety of smaller pollinators including bees and butterflies. The ripened seed heads are utilized by songbirds. Item# 11774