Planted some common buckthorn!

[A_T]

Before the cold snap started I planted about 10 common buckthorn shrubs to form part of a hedge - I did this purely in the hope of attracting brimstones. My nearest colony is about 12 miles away as the crow flies at Fens Moss - I'm on the Wales/Shropshire border. What do people think the chances are of a female finding them in the spring?

[Lee Hurrell]

I understand they do wander, although 12 miles might be a stretch. Have you ever seen one nearer?

I hope you're pleasantly surprised though, let us know how you get on!

Cheers

Lee

[Susie]

When I planted alder buckthorn it took three years to get a brimstone on them. Good luck with yours.

[A_T]

Thanks for the replies. Susie do you get Brimstones every year now?

[Susie]

Unfortunately not, I didn't see any in the garden in 2010. I am still hopeful for next year though.

[Neil Freeman]

I have been thinking of planting some Buckthorn myself, I have a nice spot in my back garden in mind.
I am not sure whether to go for Common or Alder, has anyone noticed any preference or does it not matter?

Neil.

[millerd]

I believe the one prefers acid soils and the other goes for limey ones.

Now which way round was it? I think the Alder Buckthorn prefers the acid - but please check!

Dave

[Liz Goodyear]

Purging or alder - everybit helps I bet that they are in breeding in the landscape
Liz

[Susie]

While we are on the subject, I think Jack mentioned once that they prefer young plants. Does anyone else know if this is the case and, if so, would coppicing the alder buckthorn I already have help?

[NickB]

My brother planted some in his suburban garden in Hull and within a year he found eggs; they seem to be able to find it, wherever it is, so you should be lucky
N

[Jack Harrison]

Susie

While we are on the subject, I think Jack mentioned once that they prefer young plants.

Indeed, that is my experience. Once my own plants grew too tall, Brimstones ignored them. In the wild, eg Banstead Downs, eggs were found on ALL bushes under about one metre tall.

But that is not all. This is a screen grab [about Buckthorn] from an American website. I don't know which of the particular benefits is applicable to you Susie

Jack

[NickB]

Susie

.... Once my own plants grew too tall, Brimstones ignored them. In the wild, eg Banstead Downs, eggs were found on ALL bushes under about one metre tall.
Jack

I remember seeing Brimstone females laying on straggly whips that had been driven-over with a thrasher, at Burwell Cutting; they were no more than a metre or so high, Jack.

[selbypaul]

I read somewhere that Buckthorn can be quite invasive. Can anyone tell me if that's true or not?
Paul

[Julian]

Congratulations A_T on this planting. It will surely reward you with Brimstones.

As far as I've found, patience is the watchword but you will probably get them sooner rather than later. They are great wanderers and will find your bushes. As if to prove this, some years back I helped with a successful initiative which aimed to bring Brimstones back into East Suffolk where numbers had been low post war and where there were huge black holes in the recording map. It took no more than a year (5 months actually, December planting- May Day egg laying) for the first ones to turn up, and the nearest known colony was around ten miles away. Of course, by 'colony', I mean 'bush', since Brimstones need little more than this because being strong fliers, they will soon find Spring nectar when they awake from hibernation, and likewise new brood will find a nice bush of ivy or dense shrub to hibernate almost anywhere once it starts getting cold. For our planting which began in 1998, it was a general incursion from the West to East but within 3 years we had them in all the major planting locations.

As for heights of bush/egg laying preferences, there has been some debate on this and possibly an element of observer bias. Short bushes in gardens can be more manageable and Brimstone ova in the wild are often found at four-foot and lower, possibly since higher ova are more difficult to see. Even in our garden, they have laid on large bushes on leaves touching the ground and also on 6 inch seedlings. But....they have also laid on the topmost branches of a 12 foot high bush (and all over and in between) and also on three 8 foot bushes growing in our Saxon hedge. Therefore, whilst it can be beneficial to prune to manage to shorter heights, this doesn't at all mean that large bushes won't attract egg laying females.

If possible, I would suggest that you coppice your bushes - Susie asked this question- on a rotation to ensure a variety of heights and also to help maintain the health of the bushes. I've done this with both Common and Purging Buckthorn when they were large and such coppiced bushes do seem to throw up new growth which attracts Brimstones. For me, Common Buckthorn responds better this way and forms a really nice dense bush whereas Alder B tends to remain a bit straggly, although not always. Planting in a sunny aspect is perhaps also a consideration.

As for Buckthorn properties, one other 'merit' is that they produce some of the finest charcoals and were used thus to make gunpowder! As for being invasive Paul, I have never found this. Blackthorn spreads with runners and this bush has sometimes been confused with Buckthorn, but around here in Suffolk, none of our Buckthorns have been at all invasive. In fact, Alder B can be rather slow to get going and if planted alongside Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Hazel and other common hedgerow shrubs, it might actually get out competed! As for soil types, in a garden most buckthorns do well regardless, since such soils have had additions which have improved fertility and have probably tended to, if not completely, neutralized acidity /alkalinity. Humic content also improves chances of success. Alder Buckthorn can be found in the wild in woodland settings where there is plenty of organic matter as well as in damp soils like fenland, damp heaths, river banks and carr.

Happy New Year and good luck all
Julian

[NickB]

Congratulations A_T on this planting. It will surely reward you with Brimstones.
As for heights of bush/egg laying preferences, there has been some debate on this and possibly an element of observer bias. Short bushes in gardens can be more manageable and Brimstone ova in the wild are often found at four-foot and lower, possibly since higher ova are more difficult to see. Even in our garden, they have laid on large bushes on leaves touching the ground and also on 6 inch seedlings. But....they have also laid on the topmost branches of a 12 foot high bush (and all over and in between) and also on three 8 foot bushes growing in our Saxon hedge. Therefore, whilst it can be beneficial to prune to manage to shorter heights, this doesn't at all mean that large bushes won't attract egg laying females.
Happy New Year and good luck all
Julian

...seems as though they prefer young, vigorous growths in good light wherever they are - so some management to ensure new growths, even extreme management, like thrashing or coppicing, suites them. Good luck.

[A_T]

Thanks for the encouraging words Julian! To avoid disappointment I'm not getting my hopes up but it would be great to get some Brimstones. There is a fair amount of Knapweed around so they won't be short of food if they do come!

[Julian]

You're welcome A_T. I have posted on this site before extolling the virtues of planting Buckthorn. I'm still planting it whenever I get the chance and of course, at this time of year, just as the days begin to lengthen, I begin to muse on the first true butterfly harbinger of Spring, usually a male Brimstone that's woken from its long hibernation. Valentine's Day is a good time if there is a bit of prolonged sunshine.

[selbypaul]

Thanks Julian for the reply about invasiveness. I'll definately be getting some in!
Paul

[Neil Hulme]

I think the most important factor influencing individual food plant choice is degree of shelter rather than height, although the former is often a function of the latter. Short plants are generally more sheltered from the wind, but Brimstones will happily lay high up in spindly buckthorns, as long as the crowns are given shelter by surrounding vegetation, e.g. within sheltered tree-lines, hedges and tall scrub. Exposure to full sunlight is also important. Certainly, where buckthorns are growing 'out in the open' and exposed to the wind, cutting them back will keep them more suitable.

As others have pointed out, ten miles plus is within the range of wandering Brimstones. If the buckthorn is in a sunny and sheltered position they will find it eventually, but they can be surprisingly 'picky' in avoiding wind-exposed shrubs.

Neil

[A_T]

So far I've seen no signs of brimstone eggs or caterpillars on my buckthorn.