Giant Swallowtail and the Zebra Longwing

[Mike Canzoneri]

Hey Michael,

For the Giant Swallowtails you might want to try common rue (Ruta graveolens).
It's a perennial herb  in the citrus family and both the Giant Swallowtails and
the Eastern Black Swallowtails will use it as a host.  It grows faster than an
orange tree and you should be able to get some at any nursery that has a decent
selection of herbs.  I think it will recover much quicker from defoliation as
well and it's not expensive either.  It's very easy to grow from seed, also.

As far as the passion flower goes, I'm not really sure.  It's common down here
in the south but I don't ever remember seeing it available in Chicago (I'm
originally from Chicago).  I wonder if Jamaican Gardens is still in business.
They were located in Morton Grove or Skokie or one of those other north suburbs,
and they had a huge retail greenhouse with a gigantic selection.  If anyone
around Chicago would have passiflora it would be them.  If you can get some
Passiflora suberosa, that would be the species to get....when I lived in Miami,
that was usually the first choice of the Zebra Longwing.

Good Luck,
Mike


Michael S wrote:

> 1st question-- I need a place where I can order a orange tree or another one
> of the citrus fruits for the Giant Swallowtails larvae. (not the seeds)
>
> 2nd question-- Where can I get passion flower for the Zebra Longwing larvae?
> (not the seeds)
>
> Just in case you where wondering, I am planning on getting it from Butterfly
> in Miami.
> http://www.butterflyinmiami.com
> I live in the Chicago area

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