First Sulphur Cat of Spring

Deb, if you have extra Privet Cassia seed, I would love to try some.

Ok Sheila, If I can come this week I will bring with. I think I have some to spare already started..

Deb

Well I had a visit from Deb and Ben today......they brought me a whole bunch of cats to share my PV with. We forgot to count as we released them onto the vine, but I think it was in the neighborhood of 25-30!!!
I am going to enjoy seeing them grow and will love the butterflies they will eventually be. I just need less rain and more sun so my nectar plants will be ready!
Thanks bunches Debnes!!

Ah Sheila,'
We feel the same about your thinking to take them in.. It occured to me that you didn't have as many because of the hidden garden oaisis you have there. The 'scent' of the Gulf Fritillaries hasn't had a chance to impermiate your vines... They sense where to procreate with their antennae, what we would relate as olfactory.... even more than visually. The number was good enough to establish them pretty well too. We will see more signs of this as the season contunues. My vines get a little rest. the Frits already know where I am, on a hill in broad daylight, lol!

"-Deb

Yes, it is very shady there. Not from my side, but my neighbors. I am trying to get a May Pop started to put on the fence at the house end of the shop. I need put in a bed there first or they will only wash away. Thanks for explaining why I hadn't gotten but one cat late last year, can't wait until next year now. I would love to have a vine like Paige's was last year.

Oh me too Sheila~ Paige's (Konkreteblond's) PV was absolutly gorgeous! I would love to have one like hers too! Funny how the GFs will lay eggs on the smaller plants.. Note to self: oO Must remember to have Ben help spread them to off the smaller, to the fuller passionvine species..


:-Deb

My ears must have been burning! I was just searching around for a picture and skimming this thread and saw my name. lol Glad you liked my vine! :) It didn't live thru the winter like Deb's but it's back and looking healthier than ever with really big leaves. I've got to get my trellis on top of my fence up quickly because it's growing and covered in eggs. Don't you both have the same kind that I have?

Becky, what kind of seeds?? Do you still have any? I'm so out of the loop!! :(

LOL, Paige! I had to re-read this thread to figure out what seeds you were talking about.

I got some Cassia - Senna didymobotrya from someone on DG. He said they smelled like Peanut butter popcorn. I do not know yet if the plant is also a host for the Sulpher butterflies. I'm gonna grow a few and see if it attracts any SB. If it puts out seeds like my Privet did, then I should have plenty of seeds to share. I just don't want anyone wasting garden bed space on a plant I am not sure will attract butterflies. I'll let everyone know what I find out on this plant.

Hi Girls,
I got a cassia from a friend last year and he also called it "popcorn"! It does attract the Sulphers. I've already had quite a few lay eggs on it and then they munch away. It's also a vigorous grower!
Becky...when I grow up I want to be as good at seeds as you are!!

Adrienne

becky,
I got some of the privet cassia bumped up into bigger pots yesterday. They should really take off growing now.

P

Adrienne - LOL! I don't have luck growing "all" seeds, just most that seem to thrive here in Florida. Mark from the U.K. sent me some great seeds but they wouldn't germinate for me here. I was so bummed out! Oh well ...... some seeds like our climate and some don't!

Paige - I know garden space is at a premium in your yard. Not to worry, I won't send you seeds for anything that isn't attractive to butterflies/cats! :-)

Peggy - Glad to hear the Privet Cassia plants are growing nicely for you! I love my one little tree. I say "tree", but it's really just a small tree/sapling if you can call it that. It does bring in the Sulpher Butterflies and cats though! And I love the flowers and the fern like leaves! It's just a nice plant! Just don't prune it back .... I found out by doing that ...... you stunt it's growth. So mine will probably never get any bigger than what it currently is! I blew it on that one. Maybe I will just have to grow some more! LOL!

How long did it take those Privet seeds to germinate? Did you use the baggie method or plant straight in peat pots? I'm going to make myself a note to dig them out tomorrow.

I soaked them in warm water overnight then sewed them on top of mix,in cellpacks,covering them w/ vermucilite. They were up in less than a week.

P

I just found this interesting website about some of the Florida native Cassia plants:
http://pinellas.fnpschapters.org/cassias.html

Interesting that this article says:
Butterfly gardeners discovered cassias because they are the larval food plant for several of the most attractive sulfur butterflies in Florida. The Cloudless, Orange-barred, and Sleepy Orange Sulfurs all use cassias and, therefore, this group of plants is an indispensable part of a complete Florida butterfly garden. From my personal observations, this group of butterflies will use a wide variety of cassias available in the nursery trade including the non-native species. The one major attribute that seems to hold as important is that egg laying occurs mostly during the flowering period. Sulfurs seem to be very particular about this and few will lay eggs on new growth if flowers are not also present.

And it's description of my Privet Cassia is quite accurate concerning the blooming periods. Maybe I should look for seeds of the Bahama cassia (Cassia bahamensis, now Senna mexicana var. chapmanii)? Sounds like THE cassia plant to have for butterflies!

Great info Becky!
It confirms most of what I have discovered over the last 10 years. The blooms attract egg laying females for sure, and less often without blooms. Cassias are annual here in North TX, and perennial further south, depending on how low temps get in winter. I have to have some sort of Cassia every year. Still on the hunt for an Alata, because I love the candlesticks so much. If you get the Bahama or Chapmanii, and they seed for you, save me some this fall. I will keep looking here. Meanwhile the one from seeds you gave me are about 4' tall now..:-). I am determined to get blooms on a Cassia this year!!!

Paige~ Both Sheila and I have P. cuerela, Blue Crown. It is the hardiest PV I have ever seen. Frits love it just as much as any here. The incense and incarnata I have this year were so small they are mere sticks now. I need to watch them better and move ANY cats to the cuerela when I see them.

Deb

Deb - The Privet Cassia bloomed for me 3 times last year. I had caterpillars each time. But I would love to have a Cassia that blooms constantly. And I have had cats that came for just the leaves. Since they are so fast growing, the leaves come right back. I have noticed on the Privet though that once the flowers die, the seed pods start right away. But when the plant is making seeds, it drops all it's leaves. The minute the seed pods are ripe, the leaves start coming back and the cycle begins again. I don't know if it is the nature of that cultivar or something I am doing to cause this, but it hasn't killed it. It is just so strange. I've never seen a plant do that before. Leaf growth, blooms, start making seed pods, drop leaves, and start all over again. So odd! And of course! If I can find either a plant or seeds for Senna mexicana var. chapmanii and get it to grow, I will share any seeds I get with anyone here who wants them! :-)

Good morning Becky!
I noticed that with your Cassia and the cats last year.. And my guess is they came even when there were only leaves because their scent of their own kind was established when they were initialy attracted by the blooms.

I am so hoping to see a greater variety of yellow butterflies (Sulphurs), this year!!

:-S