Posts Tagged ‘Asclepsis’
Asclepsis and Lantana: Food for Monarch Butterflies
Asclepsis and Lantana Planted Together for Monarch Butterflies
DoT’s Thot: I was thinking of and feeding the Monarch babies, then I realized I should think of the Monarch Butterflies and what they need for food as well.
Asclepsis Provides Milkweed Leaves for Monarch Butterfly Caterpillers
Asclepsis Provides Milkweed for Monarch Butterfly Caterpillers
I first focused on the asclepsis mikl plant that I needed to feed the Monarch Butterfly caterpillers that would grow up to be the lovely orange, black and white butterflies. In another post, I explained that I was familiar with the crown flower in Hawaii, but not with the equivalents in California. In browsing around I happened upon a description of this asclepsis pictured here and got some seeds about 3 years ago. It worked and I have had a number of generations of Monarch Butterflies.
Lantana Provides Nectar for Monarch Butterflies
Lantana Provides Nectar for the Monarch Butterflies
This year, I realized that the Monarch Butterflies themselves would appreciate some flowers that appeal to them for food as well. Luckily I read that they like Lantana blossoms and I have a bush right in front. This year I planted some asclepsis in front of the larger lantana bush to make a mini-habitat.
Plan to Expand Monarch Butterfly Way Station
Next year, I hope to be a regular way station for the Monarch Butterflies and feed the monarch butterfly caterpillers even more . Because the seeds of the asclepsis burst from their pods and fly all over the place, I think I’ll move the bulk of the asclepsis to the backyard. I do still wish I had the familiar crown flower, but have not succeeded in finding it here in California. Hence, this asclepsis has to do.
Aloha, DoT
Related Articles or References:
Related Posts:
- Scene in Hawaii: Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller in a Supermarket Garden Shop
- A Note on Monarch Butterflies in Hawaii
- Monarch Butterfly Haiku: Camera Madness
- Monarch Butterfly Sightings Haiku — the Asclepsis Gardener’s Reward
- Missed the Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis — Found It Empty
- Monarch Butterflies — Caterpillar Faith
- Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle Site Review — go visit
- Monarch Butterfly Egg Hunt — First Report
- Monarch Butterfly Egg Hunt is On
Find Useful Cultivator Tools Here
A Note on Monarch Butterflies in Hawaii
Dot”s Thot: “After all, Hawaii is the best land. (O Hawaii no ka aina maikai) — Hawaiian Proverb [For more quotations see dailycelebrations ]
This is a memory, not a scientific note. I was happy to find the asclepsis I now grow in Orange County, California, because I could attract and then raise monarch butterflies in the yard. However, I yearned a bit for the larger milkweed plants of Hawaii that I knew as crown flower plants that bore either white or purple blossoms. Unsuccessful in locating these in the local nurseries, I was finally able to buy the smaller yelow/red-orange flowered butterfly plants that now peep up here and there in the yard.
Purple Crown Flowers (Calotropis gigantea) -- Image by Forest & Kim Starr
However, I thought I should mention the flowers I grew up knowing as the monarch butterfly caterpillar home. Upon searching on the internet, imagine my delight to find a treasure trove of such pictures. It brought back such memories and gave me happiness. Here are some pictures from “Forest & Kim Starr“. Please visit their site to see more gorgeous pictures.
I am ever so grateful that they made these pictures available for us to share. I sometimes feel homesick even while having lived away from home for a very long time. Born and raised in Hawaii, the islands are always home. Mahalo to the Starrs for having so much aloha.
There is a definite size difference in plants as well. I remember plants that towered over me — I am over 5 feet tall (by an inch). My little butterfly plants now are big when they reach over 3 feet high. Moreover, I am not able to make leis from the blossoms (too small), unlike the crown flowers of Hawaii. Those leis can be made in a variety of styles.
Crown Flower Leis (Image by Forest & Kim Starr)
The crown flower plants were attractive to the Monarch butterflies and the flowers fed the butterflies while the leaves nurtured the caterpillars. I first became attracted to the Monarchs because of the butterflies, but one day, I discovered the gorgeous turquoise-seafoam blue chrysalis with gold dots on them. (Hope I can locate mine and post pictures of those later this year.) It is in those moments that I feel the incredible beauty of nature and the universe. It is good to live on this lovely earth of ours. Let’s enjoy this round of butterflies together.
Aloha, Dot
Mahalo one more time to Forest & Kim Starr for sharing the images and information.
Related Articles and References:
Related Posts:
- Asclepsis and Lantana: Food for Monarch Butterflies
- In My Mother’s Garden: Neem Tree; Miracle Herb from India
- In My Mother’s Garden: Pakalana, One of My Favorite Fragrant Vining Flowers
- In My Mother’s Garden: Shell Ginger Hidden Among the Red Ginger
- In My Mother’s Garden: Red Ginger in Hawaii
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Kiawe Tree Revisited
- Scene in Hawaii: Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller in a Supermarket Garden Shop
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Bougainvillea “Dragons”
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Snowflakes, Rainbow Shower Tree Haiku
- Monarch Butterfly Haiku: Camera Madness
- Monarch Butterfly Sightings Haiku — the Asclepsis Gardener’s Reward
- Missed the Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis — Found It Empty
- Monarch Butterflies — Caterpillar Faith
- Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle Site Review — go visit
- Monarch Butterfly Egg Hunt — First Report
- Monarch Butterfly Egg Hunt is On
Monarch Butterfly Egg Hunt — First Report
Dot’s Thot: “People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?” — Thich Nat Hanh
My Asclepsis or Butterfly Bush in the Front Yard
As best as I can tell, my butterfly plants are of the variety — Asclepsis curassavica Wildfire. I am no expert and just a lover of Monarch butterflies. I went out to the garden about 5 days ago and took the picture you see here. At that time, I saw no caterpillars and the leaves, buds and flowers looked uneaten.
Closeup of the Asclepsis or Butterfly Plant Blossoms
I hunted rather lack-a-daisically for butterfly eggs. Not having had the sense to look up pictures, I was not successful. Too busy to hunt down the chrysalises that I normally could find, I ignored the plants until 3 days ago when I saw a lone butterfly flitting about the plants. It was not particularly strong — being the first of the season and a loner butterfly I felt kind of sorry for it. Last night, before bed, I went on the internet and looked for pictures. I googled images and found some interesting ones. http://tinyurl.com/pjatn6. I did that to learn so I could egg hunt.
This morning I went out determined to find something. I hunted and peered, turning over leaves. I finally saw 3 small individual eggs.
My First Sighting of a Monarch Butterfly Egg for 2009
I took a shot, but I don’t have a macro lens — something to ask Santa for this year, maybe, … so you have to kind of squint … but it is in-real-time amateur living proof that the butterfly comes, then eggs get laid.
Now I wait for more butterflies (from the masterfully hidden chrysalises) and eventually the tiny caterpillars, one of the few creepy-crawlies I look forward to eating my plants.
This Monarch journal is just for fun, because I love to garden and Monarch butterflies have a special place in my heart. Follow along, will you? Butterfly hugs to all.
Fondest Aloha,
Dot
Related Articles and References:
Related Posts
- Asclepsis and Lantana: Food for Monarch Butterflies
- Scene in Hawaii: Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller in a Supermarket Garden Shop
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Bougainvillea “Dragons”
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Snowflakes, Rainbow Shower Tree Haiku
- A Note on Monarch Butterflies in Hawaii
- Monarch Butterfly Haiku: Camera Madness
- Monarch Butterfly Sightings Haiku — the Asclepsis Gardener’s Reward
- Missed the Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis — Found It Empty
- Monarch Butterflies — Caterpillar Faith
- Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle Site Review — go visit
- Monarch Butterfly Egg Hunt is On
