Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Thursday - August 19, 2010
From: Fort Davis, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens
Title: Woolly butterfly bush only one native to Texas from Ft. Davis TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I see many kinds of Butterfly Bush at nurseries. Is the woolly butterfly bush the only Texas native?ANSWER:
As you probably know, butterfly bush is a common name for members of the Buddleja genus. The natives to Texas of that genus are:
Buddleja marrubiifolia (woolly butterflybush)
Buddleja racemosa (wand butterflybush)
Buddleja racemosa (wand butterflybush)
Buddleja scordioides (escobilla butterflybush)
Buddleja sessiliflora (Rio Grande butterflybush) - pictures from Google
The butterfly bushes you are seeing at nurseries are probably selections or cultivars of Buddleia davidii which is native to western China and therefore out of the range of our expertise. From Spring Meadow Nurseries All about butterfly bush here is more information.
From our Native Plant Image Gallery:
More Butterfly Gardens Questions
Non-native tropical Butterfly vine (Mascagnia macroptera) in Houston
February 02, 2006 - HOWDY . . . Miss Smarty Plants !!!
I am trying to identify one of the most intriguing, unusual & beautiful vines that I have ever seen. I encountered this vine at the home of an 87 year old widow ...
view the full question and answer
Will Butterfly Plant Survive in Mansfield, Texas
January 06, 2012 - I have a butterfly plant that was very successful (about 4 feet tall) right up until the cold snap three weeks ago. I've read they have a tap root, so I'm hoping it will come back next spring. Mea...
view the full question and answer
How to grow milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) for monarch butterflies
March 31, 2010 - I tried and tried and tried to grow Asclepias viridis, A. asperula and even A. oenotheroides from seeds and even tubers for fourteen years! Do you have advice for growing these and other milkweed plan...
view the full question and answer
Food for butterflies in Austin
April 21, 2013 - Mr. Smarty Plants, my kids and I are raising Painted Lady butterflies from caterpillars but it's still too cold to release them (oddly cool spring we're having!) If they mate and lay eggs, what loc...
view the full question and answer
Plants for shelter for butterflies
July 04, 2010 - I understand that butterflies need certain plants for food, but are there specific plants that butterflies prefer to use as shelter in central Texas?
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
