Goliathus Posted May 17, 2019 Report Posted May 17, 2019 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. Quote
davehuth Posted May 18, 2019 Report Posted May 18, 2019 Dang those are great. Do you expect them to bring in some nice flower beetles and swallowtails? Quote
Goliathus Posted May 18, 2019 Author Report Posted May 18, 2019 1 hour ago, davehuth said: Dang those are great. Do you expect them to bring in some nice flower beetles and swallowtails? 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). Quote
davehuth Posted May 18, 2019 Report Posted May 18, 2019 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. Quote
Goliathus Posted May 18, 2019 Author Report Posted May 18, 2019 2 minutes ago, 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. 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). Quote
Goliathus Posted May 20, 2019 Author Report Posted May 20, 2019 2 hours ago, Ratmosphere said: Bet they smell real nice. 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. Quote
Goliathus Posted May 23, 2019 Author Report Posted May 23, 2019 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. Quote
Goliathus Posted May 24, 2020 Author Report Posted May 24, 2020 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. Quote
Peter Clausen Posted September 25, 2020 Report Posted September 25, 2020 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! 🤣 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.