companion plants

Anne Kilmer viceroy at GATE.NET
Sun May 5 01:09:40 EDT 2002


I'll anwer this at my leisure on Nature Potpourri, where all of you may 
go to drift comfortably among the flowers and shrubs of Ireland.
If you haven't subscribed, you should. A lot of good reading there.
Here, I will simply address the last paragraph or two.

Trevor Boyd wrote:

> Dear Anne,
> 
> Yes, Buddleia of course is ideal in any kind of soil and a great nectar
> plant for butterflies - but being of Chinese origin it is not a native.  I
> wouldn't call it invasive, but it does seed readily.  I don't think you
> could have too many Buddleias about.  Most varieties flower during July and
> August, but there is a yellow hybrid (Buddleia x weyeriana) which blooms
> from September into November.  It is a cross between B. davidii and B.
> globosa.
> 
> You mention Valerian but I think you mean Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber)
> which comes in red, pink and white.  It is just coming into flower now and
> will flower until July.  It loves the lime in old walls but doesn't need or
> like rich soil.  Butterflies and moths, especially Humming-bird Hawk-moths
> love it.
> 
> Brimstone butterflies are not far from you, around Lough Corrib, and are
> only limited by the distribution of their food plant (Buckthorn).  They
> wander about a good deal, even turning up anywhere in Northern Ireland where
> they do not breed.  Alder Buckthorn grows in acid soils, so it should do all
> right where you are, and so you could, single handed, allow them to extend
> their range to your delightful patch.


I have seen Brimstones, Gonepteryx rhamni, or one Brimstone, every year 
in early spring. I'll look for Alder Buckthorn, and put it where the 
gooseberries grew before Michael scythed them. It can scramble among the 
brambles.


> 
> Just a few thoughts.  I will not be offended if you don't adopt any of my
> suggestions.  Communicating with you is reward enough.
> 

My pleasure. ;-)


> I don't know whether or not to campaign for the Small Blue (Cupido minimus)
> in Northern Ireland.  There is only one small, sad colony left, but it
> thrives in Donegal and Sligo, all part of the same metapopulation cut off by
> the political border.  The authorities here are aware of the problem and are
> supposed to be doing some site management to encourage it, so we'll see how
> that goes.
> 
> Yours,
> 
> Trevor Boyd
> 

I'd be delighted to help with this, if you can use the assistance of one 
small American. I'm fond of Sligo and Donegal, where we go occasionally 
... perhaps we could meet there somewhere and see what can be done.
The banner of Butterflies for Peace could be useful, if you want school 
children in Donegal and Sligo to plant kidney vetch, Anthyllis 
vulneraria, for the Small Blue along roadsides and in their gardens, 
their butterflies to fly over the border and invade the similar gardens 
of school children in the North.
Hickin doesn't mention the ants. Is there an ant?
Let's work on this.
Cheers
Anne Kilmer
Viceroy
Butterfly Coalition


 
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