Grow host plants to help the next generation of butterflies and moths survive and thrive.
WORTH THE WAIT
Gas plants may take a few years to get established, but the showy result is so rewarding.
1 Gas plant
DICTAMNUS ALBUS, ZONES 3 TO 8
This novelty plant is a stunner. From May to June, white, pink or lilac flowers top vertical stems that reach 3 feet tall. The plant is low maintenance but needs full sun and well-draining soil. Wear gloves when handling gas plants to avoid any adverse skin reactions.
Why we love it: On windless summer nights, light the flammable oil from the gas plant’s old flowers or seedpods to emit a brief vapor.
Host to: giant swallowtail
2 Little bluestem
SCHIZACHYRIUM SCOPARIUM, ZONES 3 TO 9
A blue-stemmed beauty, this tufted warm-season grass provides wonderful winter interest. It’s also a resilient host plant that grows best on dry upland sites such as hilltops or ridges, though it is very adaptable to nearly all soil conditions.
Why we love it: The USDA says little bluestem is one of the best grasses for nesting and roosting birds, such as finches, sparrows and juncos.
Host to: common wood nymphs and skippers
3 Prairie blazing star
LIATRIS PYCNOSTACHYA, ZONES 3 TO 9
In late summer and autumn, blazing star’s radiant rose purple flowers spike skyward, providing vivid color in your backyard. This hardy prairie favorite grows up to 4 feet tall, especially in damp environments.
Why we love it: It’s a low-maintenance, plant-it-and-leave-it bloom that reseeds readily, and it makes excellent fresh-cut flowers.
Host to: glorious flower moth
This story is from the August/September 2018 edition of Birds & Bloom.
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This story is from the August/September 2018 edition of Birds & Bloom.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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