Gulf Fritillary host plants.

Harriett Wright harriett at ix.netcom.com
Fri Jul 3 19:54:25 EDT 1998


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Mark Herdering wrote:

> Last year I planted a passion vine advertised as a "non-fruiting " variety
> in order to attract Fritillarys to the garden. Many visited but the larvae
> would die within days of hatching. I soon found out that certain species of
> Passion vine are toxic to Fritillary larvae.
>
> I've since planted a "fruiting" variety but it flowered and appeared
> exactly the same as the plant I had last year (which I've since removed).
> Not one butterfly has visited the plant this year. I called the nursery and
> they told me I could dig it up and return it, which I did.
>
> My question is which passaflora sub species(s) specifically is toxic to
> Fritillarys. I saw a beautiful plant today at the nursery with fire engine
> red flowers and it was labeled at passaflora vitofolia. Is this safe for
> Fritillarys?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Mark

  My garden in central Florida is all aflutter with Gulf Fritillaries because
of two plants of P. incarnata which they have totally defolliated.  They seem
to need to lay their eggs whether the plant has any leaves or not.  I see the
ocassional Zebra Longwing but no larvae--I'm told they prefer P. suberosa.  I
have a small plant in a pot on my screened patio, but I'm not giving it to them
until it's much bigger!  Wish I knew where to dig up some more--Zebra Longwing
is my alltime favorite butterfly.

Harriett





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&nbsp;

<P>Mark Herdering wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>Last year I planted a passion vine advertised as
a "non-fruiting " variety
<BR>in order to attract Fritillarys to the garden. Many visited but the
larvae
<BR>would die within days of hatching. I soon found out that certain species
of
<BR>Passion vine are toxic to Fritillary larvae.

<P>I've since planted a "fruiting" variety but it flowered and appeared
<BR>exactly the same as the plant I had last year (which I've since removed).
<BR>Not one butterfly has visited the plant this year. I called the nursery
and
<BR>they told me I could dig it up and return it, which I did.

<P>My question is which passaflora sub species(s) specifically is toxic
to
<BR>Fritillarys. I saw a beautiful plant today at the nursery with fire
engine
<BR>red flowers and it was labeled at passaflora vitofolia. Is this safe
for
<BR>Fritillarys?

<P>Thanks in advance.

<P>Mark</BLOCKQUOTE>
&nbsp; My garden in central Florida is all aflutter with Gulf Fritillaries
because of two plants of P. incarnata which they have totally defolliated.&nbsp;
They seem to <I>need </I>to lay their eggs whether the plant has any leaves
or not.&nbsp; I see the ocassional Zebra Longwing but no larvae--I'm told
they prefer P. suberosa.&nbsp; I have a small plant in a pot on my screened
patio, but I'm not giving it to them until it's <I>much</I> bigger!&nbsp;
Wish I knew where to dig up some more--Zebra Longwing is my alltime favorite
butterfly.

<P>Harriett
<BR>&nbsp;
<BR>&nbsp;
<BR>&nbsp;
<BR>&nbsp;</HTML>

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