Native Plants
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Sunday - May 10, 2009
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources
Title: Plants for Painted Lady
Answered by: Damon Waitt
QUESTION:
Where can I buy plants for the painted lady butterfly larvae in Houston?ANSWER:
According to Butterflies and Moths of North America, more than 100 host plants have been noted for the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly. Caterpillar favorites include thistles (Asteraceae), hollyhock and mallow (Malvaceae), and various legumes (Fabaceae). The adult Painted Lady prefers nectar from composites 3-6 feet high, especially thistles; also aster, cosmos, blazing star, ironweed, and joe-pye weed. Flowers from other families that are visited include red clover, buttonbush, privet, and milkweeds.
Any good native wildflower seed mix such as the Butterfly Retreat Mix available at Native American Seed should do the trick.
More Seed and Plant Sources Questions
Trying to find a supplier for east Texas wetland plants
December 11, 2008 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
I'm trying to find suppliers for native, East Texas wetland plants (edge and submerged) and can't seem to find any. Can you help?
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Sources of native wildflowers for Long Island, NY
May 27, 2005 - What wildflowers are native
to Long Island and where can I buy
seeds/plants?
There is so much information out there
that I find my region, Long Island, seems
to get lost. There is only 1 loca...
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Looking for Irises for Coryell County, TX.
May 07, 2012 - I'm looking for a hearty plant for Coryell County, TX. My mother always referred to these plants as "flags." I assume it is a type of iris. I'm looking for the one that will survive in the Cent...
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Source of wildflower seeds indigenous to Dallas area
February 21, 2003 - Where can I get wild flower seed indigenous to the N. Texas (Dallas) area?
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Source for Saltmarsh cordgrass from Houston
April 16, 2013 - I work for a consulting firm and we are looking to do more of our wetland creation/restoration. Do you know where one can purchased Spartina alterniflora?
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