Plumbago

[John MacGregor]

> Joel,
> 
> What plumbago are you asking about?
> 
> "Cape plumbago" (Plumbago auriculata) is a major larval food plant for
> Marine Blue butterflies, but their imagos also like the nectar as well as
> the sweet and sticky secretions on the flower buds.  Today I watched Marine
> Blues, Cabbage Whites, and Gulf Fritillarys all nectaring on Cape plumbago
> here in Pasadena, CA.
>
> But there is another plumbago--the so-callded "dwarf plumbago" (Ceratostigma
> plumbaginoides), also known as "leadwort", with probably the most intense,
> true blue flowers of any plant.  This is a fine nectar source of many kinds
> of butterflies, and hummingbirds like it too--especially blackchins.
>
> John C. MacGregor IV, President
> San Gabriel Valley Chapter
> North American Butterfly Association
> 815 Park Avenue #4
> South Pasadena, CA 91030-2788
> jonivy at earthlink.net
>
>
> ----------
>>From: Joel <joelrobertlyons at earthlink.net>
>>To: "leps-l at lists.yale.edu" <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
>>Subject: Plumbago
>>Date: Fri, Sep 15, 2000, 4:51 PM
>>
>
>> Is this a nectar source for any butterfly?  We have conflicting
>> information in our books.
>>
>> Thank you in advance,
>> Joel and Melanie
>> New Orleans, USA
>>
>>