July plants for butterflies

[Lynn]

My buddleias are just starting to come into flower. I bought a new one in May from Longstock nursery in Hampshire. It’s rather appealingly called Purple Emperor & is a dwarf one. I will report on how it does for butterflies shortly. But will the butterflies appear before it finishes flowering?

The perennial phlox (paniculata) are just coming out. Phuopsis stylosa that flowered well through June is still hanging on as are the various centranthus (rubra,alba and lecoquii ) and wild valerian.
Perennial sweet peas are attracting a few Silver-y moths and I have planted fuchsias especially fro Elephant Hawk moth caterpillars. As far as wild flowers go knapweed is flowering & the first of the field scabious and marjoram & wild basil will be out soon – all firm favourites with the butterflies.

Yesterday (5th July) Hants & Dorset branch had a joint field meeting at Ryewater Nursery near Sherborne, home of Clive Farrall who you will all remember is the Founder of the project Butterfly World near St Albans. http://www.butterfly-world.org
Clive who is an expert in helping butterflies gave us a couple of good, new tips:-

If you sow niger seed (like you feed to the birds) in May it flowers like a mini sunflower & provided seeds for the birds but butterflies are really attracted to the yellow flowers. I shall try this even though it is now July!

He says a good way to attract Small Copper is to plant sorrel & fleabane in close proximity. Having their favourite nectar source nearby encourages it to breed on the sorrel. Shall try this too as Small Coppers are thin on the ground both at home and at the BC reserves in Hampshire.

[Susie]

Hullo Lynn, thanks for posting this, I always find these threads interesting.

A local garden centre to me also does a butterfly range of buddleias. There are Purple Emperor, which you have, as well as Adonis Blue, Camberwell Beauty, Peacock, and I think there was a white one as well but I can't remember it's name. I don't think they called it cabbage.

[Dave McCormick]

we have 4 buddlehia that are about to flower. Ones in formal gardens here smell really powerful when flowering and last year attracted many peacock and red admiral/small tortoiseshell. Supposed to have large purple heads, but had white heads instead. Also oxeye daisies and orchids are in flower in the meadow area there and attract a few species.

[Susie]

I have two pink, two white, a lilac, a red and a dark purple buddleia. Most of these are still small as have been planted in the last year. In addition to that I have a dozen or so cuttings of different varieties. I will be able to start my own national collection soon.

[Lynn]

Buddleias take a lot of beating! But other plants are good too. Yesterday I saw my first Hummingbird hawkmoth of the year. It spurned ny expensive Purple Emperor buddleia & favoured the centranthus rubra growing next to it.

Rain is puring down as I write - the chances of seeing anything today are nil. And this is July

Incidentally Rosie my Royal Red buddleia planted last autumn is almost two metres tall ( six foot to those still using old money including me!). I will warn Longstock Park nursery here in Hampshire that you are threatening to take over the nationl collection from them! Longstock is well worth a visit to see both the buddleias and long herbaceous border.It is near Stockbridge & conveniently close to several good butterfly sites too if anyone is down this way.

[Dave McCormick]

We have red valerian all over the place here, and its great for attracting hawk moths, butterflies such as red admirals, peacocks, small tortoiseshell, painted ladys etc...

[Susie]

Hullo Lynn,

I have red valerian too and have found it to be good in the past (I had to go and look up centranthus rubra though )

I have a white buddleia which is a good six feet tall too, goodness knows what size it will end up being eventually.

I plan to visit Longstock to see the buddleias during the school holidays. I don't think they have to worry too much about competition from me yet.

[Lynn]

I visited Longstock on 26th July - buddleia collection & the herbaceous border were looking great. Saw a few Peacocks, Red Admirals and Brimstones. Hummingbird Hawkmoth had been seen the previous day.