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Wednesday - May 02, 2012
From: LaRue, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Groundcovers
Title: Groundcover and Butterfly attractants for LaRue Texas
Answered by: Brigid & Larry Larson
QUESTION:
LaRue, TX - Would like a native low growing plant as a groundcover. I would like it for six+ hours of sun, drought tolerant, and ones that butterflies might enjoy, while deer won't. Some winter interest. A tall order I know. ThanksANSWER:
Mr Smarty Plants got lucky and was able to find three separate answers in the archives for groundcover for a sunny location in LaRue Texas - - Can you believe it!!
So I’m going to get lazy and merely link those three answers to you then comment on whether the recommendations are ones the butterfies would enjoy and/or that the deer won’t go for easily! That is, as you said, a really tall order.
Anyway – First check out these three question and answer pairs:
Groundcovers for East Texas [LaRue].
Groundcover for a Sunny Location [LaRue, quite similar as they also want attractants!]
Groundcovers for East Texas.
And, while I’m at it, here is a similar question from Paris, TX and one from Nacogdoches
Butterfly gardening is covered quite well in this “How to” article. It is also listed in the plant record under “Benefit”, this place is also where you can see if they are considered deer resistant.
Groundcovers from the previous answers that are also listed as butterfly attractants are Calyptocarpus vialis (Straggler daisy), Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit), Salvia lyrata (Lyreleaf sage), Callirhoe involucrata (Winecup), Passiflora incarnata (Purple passionflower), Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle) [Some of these are vines rather than classic groundcovers].
Groundcovers listed as deer resistant include: Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose), Muhlenbergia capillaris (Gulf muhly), Allium canadense (Meadow garlic)
Also, Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit), Salvia lyrata (Lyreleaf sage), Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba (Poppy mallow), Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa (Four-nerve daisy), Passiflora incarnata (Purple passionflower) are listed as moderately deer resistant. As most of these are also listed as butterfly attractants, they are probably the best we can find for you in fitting your requirements! I've put some pictures of these in the photo gallery below!
From the Image Gallery
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