Buddleia davidii

Goliathus

Goliathus

Pachnoda
Several new (new to me, at least) cultivars of Buddleia davidii that I've started working with this year - a standard-sized pale blue, standard-sized fuchsia, and a dwarf amethyst variety.

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davehuth said:
Dang those are great. Do you expect them to bring in some nice flower beetles and swallowtails?
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They're already attracting butterflies more strongly than anything else I've seen - especially many Nymphalidae, such as Vanessa atalanta.  Monarchs and swallowtails, too.  Also - various click beetles, the flower scarab Euphoria sepulcralis, and was surprised to see a buprestid of the genus Chrysobothris (which I wasn't aware came to flowers).

 
Those little scarabs look really cool. Are the Chrysobothris you’re seeing the metallic ones?

Here in NY we,re still about a week away from the first spring blooms to atttract many pollinators apart from bees. I’ve cultivated a sizable patch of wild mustard that looks like it’s getting ready to pop. That’s typically when I start seeing the first butterflies. 

 
davehuth said:
Those little scarabs look really cool. Are the Chrysobothris you’re seeing the metallic ones?

Here in NY we,re still about a week away from the first spring blooms to atttract many pollinators apart from bees. I’ve cultivated a sizable patch of wild mustard that looks like it’s getting ready to pop. That’s typically when I start seeing the first butterflies. 
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I think the Chrysobothris might be C. femorata.

I planted a lot of Anethum (dill) and Petroselinum (parsley) this year as food plants for Papilio polyxenes (Black swallowtail).

 
Ratmosphere said:
Bet they smell real nice. 
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Yes - they do give off a very noticeable smell, similar to lilac (Syringa spp.).  Undoubtedly, this is why they attract butterflies so strongly.

Some more photos of my dwarf Buddleia (cultivar ID: Buddleia x 'SMNBDL' ppaf), which is starting to flower more now.  Interestingly, although it's currently my smallest plant, it has the largest blooms.

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Another of my Buddleia bushes is starting to flower - this one is an old cultivar (Black Knight) that's been popular for decades, and has one of the darkest colours among the 200+ varieties that have been produced.

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My Buddleia davidii have now had a full year to acclimate following transplant to the ground, and are really gaining size now.  The first to start blooming this year is cultivar 'PIIBD-II' PPAF (Psychedelic Sky).  Photos attached.  The flower spikes can reach 8" to 10" long in this cultivar.  Monarchs and various smaller butterflies are already coming to it, and I expect that Tiger Swallowtails, Giant Swallowtails, etc. will start showing up in the coming weeks.

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I grew up next to a butterfly bush. She was my second mother. A wonderful provider! Great to see all these colors and if you see me out their sitting on your butterfly bushes one morning, don't be surprised! 🤣

 
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