Food Plants for Agraulis vanillae

[Laurel Godley]

John,

I have used the hybrid variety Lavender Lasy to feed caterpillars.  It seems 
to do reasonable well here in San Jose.  As a hybrid, I don't believe it 
fruits.  Propigation is by cuttings.  The plant will grow rather large.  I 
do not know if it would becone invasive.

There is a lovely book called "Passion Flowers" (2nd edition) by John 
Vanderplank.  In chapter 6, he discusses longwings and includes a chart of 
longwing species & prefered passaflora varieties.

An edible variety Black Knight, a type of p. edulis, appears unpalitable to 
a. vanillae.  Mine is potted and gets moved into the greenhouse for the 
winter.  I'm not certain how hardy it is.  Hope this helps a bit.

Best wishes...  Laurel


>From: "John MacGregor" <jonivy at earthlink.net>
>Reply-To: jonivy at earthlink.net
>To: LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
>Subject: Food Plants for Agraulis vanillae
>Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 07:19:21 -0800
>
>I need to assemble as inclusive a list as possible of food plants for the
>larvae of the Gulf Fritillary, our only tropical longwing butterfly in
>southern California.  Its presence here is due principally to a relentless
>invasion of Passiflora  caerulea, an ineradicable weed.  This sets
>innumerable, inedible fruits.  Its seeds are spread by birds. and it 
>suckers
>profusely.  I have plants of P.  'Incense' (Passiflora  incarnata  X P.
>cincinnata), which the caterpillars love to the point that it seldom 
>flowers
>and is completely demolished in winter when its growth rate is slowed by
>cool temperatures.  I also have P. X alato-caerulea, which caterpillars 
>will
>not eat but is a well-behaved garden plant.  Its fragrant flowers provide
>good nectar.  Can anyone suggest other species of Passiflora that will
>support Agraulis when planted outdoors in the ground or grown in pots that
>can be moved inside in winter?  Are there other species that would be hardy
>in this area (to about 27 degrees F.) that Gulf Fritillary caterpillars 
>will
>not eat but would make attractive ornamentals?
>
>John C. MacGregor IV, President
>NABA, San Gabriel Valley Chapter
>815 Park Avenue #4
>South Pasadena, CA 91030-2788
>jonivy at earthlink.net

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