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conniekru

Golden Alexander

Connie Kru
12 years ago

Will Golden Alexander attract swallowtail like other members of the carrot, parsley family?

Comments (14)

  • Tony G
    12 years ago

    I have seen it advertised in catalogs as "attracting black swallowtails" but I have never heard an actual gardener report that it attracts them. anyone?

    I am focusing on rue and parsley next year. as much as they like the fennel, it attracts too many predators! Tony

  • KC Clark - Zone 2012-6a OH
    12 years ago

    Mine flowers before the BSTs are flying around here so I have no clue whether the butterflies like it for nectar. I've yet to find cats/eggs on it. It is my main food source for BST cats. I attract them with dill and feed them GA.

    I know somebody on here has found BST cats on their GA.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Black swallowtail larval food

  • susanlynne48
    12 years ago

    I attract mine with Dill, Fennel, and Rue, and when that runs out, they migrate to the Golden Alexanders, which are planted at the base of my Fennel. They readily consume the GAs, but it is not their first choice, so I'm not sure I would rely on it as the sole larval food plant in the garden.

    When I first started growing LFPs for the BSTs, I grew only Rue, and attracted lots of BSTs, along with the Giant Swallowtails (it is a food plant for both). Rue is not an extremely long-lived perennial (nor is Fennel for that matter) so I pick up a couple of Fennel plants and a couple of Rue plants each year, so I have some going in case some of the plants in the garden keel over. I try to get them early enough in the season - this is especially true of the Rue, since it is not an herb consumed by humans - that any chemicals the nurserymen used on them have dissipated. Always a word of caution when purchasing larval food plants for the garden.

    Susan

  • Connie Kru
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks everyone. It is nice to know that at least I can feed it to the caterpillars of the B. Easter Swallowtail.

  • terrene
    12 years ago

    I grow both Zizia aurea and Z. aptera. I've never seen any BST eggs or cats on them, but I have used it for larval food, mostly for the larger cats.

    BST cats on Zizia aurea on left, Z. aptera on right -
    {{gwi:450629}}

  • bob_71
    12 years ago

    I grew dill, parsley, bronze fennel and Golden Alexanders. The golden alexander (Zizia aurea) was their later choice. The eggs were laid a month or more after the first were laid on the others. They did,however, lay eggs and feed through all instars on the golden alexander.

    The plant in the spring
    {{gwi:450631}}

    Caterpillars feeding on the plant.
    {{gwi:450632}}

    Bob

  • docmom_gw
    12 years ago

    The Golden Alexander is very easy to grow from seed, and mine self-seeded very vigorously. Like most others, I never saw an egg or cat on the Zizia.

    Martha

  • bev2009
    12 years ago

    I never found an egg or cat either.

  • KC Clark - Zone 2012-6a OH
    11 years ago

    It finally happened!!!! I just went out to get cuttings of my GA for the BSTs I found on my parsley. Sitting pretty as you please on 2 different GA leaves were two 3rd instar BST cats. I guess the mama BST must have felt sorry for my neglected GAs. ;) This was year 4 for my GA.

    Never give up hope.

  • bananasinohio
    11 years ago

    Yay! I have found a caterpillar on GA as well this year. I think it is a question of choice. They probably prefer other plants.

    Nice to have options though. GA will grow just about anywhere. Even in shade!

    -Elisabeth

  • imabirdnut
    11 years ago

    This is the first year for me to have Zizia & I planted both Z.aurea & Z.aptera seeds last fall & only got a few plants...not sure if I have aurea but it looks like the leaves in your last picture, Bob!
    It is just setting blooms now in September!
    I have fed it to several cats & they don't seem interested in it until they are in the later instars. I currently have some with both rue & GA & the older cats are gobbling up the GA! I plan on planting more for next year...I think it needs cold stratification...doesn't it?
    Take care,
    Lila

  • bananasinohio
    11 years ago

    Yup, it needs cold stratification. I am not sure what else. Sometimes it takes off and sometimes not. I have a whole sandwich bag of seed in the fridge and none of it took. I planted three small plants this spring and all three looked good for a while then one started to die. It's right next to the two others that are fine. Sometimes I think natives do this out of spite "I am not living here! I want to be back in the prairie!"

    -Elisabeth

  • seedmoney
    11 years ago

    Gosh, my BST eschew my fennel and prefer to lay their eggs on my Golden Alexanders. Maybe it's a regional thing?

    Here is a link that might be useful: BST egg on Golden Alexanders

  • terrene
    11 years ago

    This year the BSTs have laid eggs on rue and fennel but I haven't even thought to check the Zizia at all.

    The Zizia species haven't germinated prolifically for me - I winter-sowed Z. aurea a couple of years in a row and only got 1 seedling, but that plant has thrived.

    In 2008 I got a division of Z. aptera in a swap, and after 4 years it actually made a seedling this spring, which was kind of exciting.