Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
rate this answer
Saturday - October 31, 2009
From: Richmond, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Wildlife Gardens
Title: Larval host plants for Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I am looking for a list of larval host plants for Painted Lady butterflies. Could you provide such a list?ANSWER:
Native larval host plants for Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady) are thistles, mallows and various legumes such as Lupinus perennis (sundial lupine). They are four thistles that are native to Virginia: Cirsium discolor (field thistle), Cirsium horridulum (yellow thistle), Cirsium muticum (swamp thistle), and Cirsium pumilum (pasture thistle). We show twelve mallows (from the Family Malvaceae) native to Virginia. Some notable attractives ones are: Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppymallow), Gossypium hirsutum (upland cotton), Hibiscus coccineus (scarlet rosemallow), Hibiscus moscheutos (crimsoneyed rosemallow), and Kosteletzkya virginica (Virginia saltmarsh mallow). You can see more by searching in the Native Plant Database under the Family category for Malvaceae Family and using the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option to choose Virginia from the Select State or Province category.
More Wildlife Gardens Questions
Plants for a mixed hedgerow for privacy and for the birds
May 07, 2010 - What are the best native plants for a mixed hedgerow in a small backyard? I want privacy (heights 5'-10') and bird friendly.
Thank you for your information.
view the full question and answer
Planting for parrots
March 23, 2005 - I have 2 parrots, a sun conure and a nanday conure, and I would like to find some plants to put in their aviary room that are safe for parrots. Can you help me with this question?
view the full question and answer
Native plants to attract migrating birds
June 12, 2010 - Can you suggest native plants that would attract migrating birds? I have a very sunny location, with very sandy soil. Thanks in advance for your answer.
view the full question and answer
Plants for birds in Virginia
February 17, 2008 - Hi there, I would like to plant some bird-friendly shrubs in my backyard, here in the Shenandoah Valley. I have read that birds like winterberries, and I think they are gorgeous. But, this is mid-Fe...
view the full question and answer
Colony of bees nesting in sycamore
July 06, 2010 - I have a very large, old sycamore tree that has recently become home to a colony of honey bees. They have taken up dwelling in a hollow limb of the tree about 25 feet off the ground. While this is gre...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |