Most of the websites speaking of butterfly gardening list plants that individuals can readily plant in a home garden to attract butterflies and host caterpillars. That being said, of course the critters were doing fine for centuries before cultivated gardens came along.

The P. polyxenes larvae feed on xanthotoxin-containing plants and metabolize their poisonous compounds without harm to them, but to the great detriment of their predators. Unfortunately, in areas such as mine, livestock can suffer from ingestion of these forages and ranchers often are quick to herbicide them out of existence. I, on the other hand, don't bother, and our cattle just eat something else.

So, you're looking for plants in the Apiaceae family. Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota)is an abundant native plant in many regions and listed as a host. Miss Sherry also talks about Ptilimnium capillaceum, (Mock Bishop's Weed). I've read that Thamnosma texana (Dutchman's Breeches) and Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip) are also native hosts. I know I have two our of those three in abundance in my pastures, and plenty of P. polyxenes, so they must be willing to settle for domestic fare at some point ;)

Poking around on the Cornell University site and examining native plant lists for your location will probably yield other choices. I've been doing a lot of this of late, since I'm monitoring my pastures and planning a garden closer to my house using only native plants. Others on here can speak from actual experience, having raised tons of caterpillars.

Anna

Queen Anne's Lace is introduced. It is not a native.

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1356
Caterpillar hosts: Leaves of plants in the parsley family (Apiaceae) including Queen Anne's Lace, carrot, celery and dill. Sometimes plants in the citrus family (Rutaceae) are preferred.

Here is a link that might be useful: USDA Plant ID website (Queen Anne's Lace)

Family Apiaceae  Carrot family
Contains 91 Genera and 503 accepted taxa overall

http://plants.usda.gov/classification.html
I clicked on classification on the left, then put in the common or scientific name. I put in "Apiaceae". Some of these are native and some of them are not. You can look at their native status. Black Swallowtails use many of these.

Here is a link that might be useful: Apiaceae

Interestingly, wild parsnip is also of Asian origin according to the folk in MN.

Ya can't win, I tell ya.

Someday, like MacDonald's, the same few plants are going to be everywhere. All our lawns are going to be Japanese stilt grass, with barberry for bushes and garlic mustard and loosestrife for weeds. :)

Jeff

Yep. Looking at that profile it does say it may be native to some, introduced to others; but when it can be found in all fifty states, most of Canada, and Puerto Rico, at some point it's pretty safe to say it's gonna be close at hand--which gets to the root of the initial question. ;)

ANna

Many thanks for the help. I suppose I should have known better than to think this would be simple. I WILL FIND THEE, OH FREE AND LARGE EQUIVALENT TO DILL/FENNEL/RUE/PARSLEY!!!

LOL Sahmbo
I WILL FIND THEE, OH FREE AND LARGE EQUIVALENT TO DILL/FENNEL/RUE/PARSLEY!!!
Worth repeating.

I don't know where you are Sahmbo, but mock bishop's weed is native to most of the eastern United States. It looks like dill, and you'll find it in either wet areas or areas of normal moisture, just not high and dry areas. It has very little leaf surface, like dill and fennel, but it grows in thick clumps, and the black swallowtails really like it.
Happy hunting!
Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Mock Bishop's Weed

Queen Anne's Lace has been my backup when the dill and fennel run out. I take a lunchmeat container, poke 5 or 6 holes in the lid, fill the container with water, and stick whole cut plants or sprigs into the holes. Mmm...lunch.

Jeff

I've been reading this and noticed that Zizia has not been mentioned. I have Zizia aurea, Golden Alexander, growing in my garden. There is also Zizia aptera, both in the apiaceae family. This is a native plant (check USDA map) and host plant for the Black Swallowtails. I found a caterpillar on the plant earlier this year. I use it as a backup when I run out of parsley or dill, which the Black swallowtails prefer. However, if I didn't have the fennel, dill, or parsley, I think the butterflies would use the zizia. It provides large leaves and yellow flower heads. You can find the seeds on the internet and it's easy to grow.

Or I can send you seeds when the flower heads have matured. That would make it free!

Sandy

The Zizia was on the USDA list of Apiaceae species. I used to grow Zizia also known as Golden Alexander. But, never got the Black Swallowtails laying on it. Good to know that they will eat it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zizia

Wonder if it would grow in S. Florida? Has anyone got it? Anyone know first hand? I've seen some relatives (have no positive ID) of these plants but they die at onset of summer. sigh.

You can get a map to see where the plant shows up in the United States, if you click on the green "P" at the end of each name. If you click on the state, some of the states have county locations. I've listed the USDA Apiaceae family list again.

Here is a link that might be useful: Apiaceae

Since Queen Anne's Lace is not native but seemingly everywhere, I wonder if the black swallowtail has been aided by its introduction.

Sahmbo,

I collected seeds from the Zizia this evening. I'd be glad to send them to you if you email me and send me your address. I just have enough for one person.

I have a Golden Alexander plant in my garden that bloomed last year and I collected quite a bit of seed. I've also got tons of volunteer seedlings this year. So, if anyone wants to try to grow it I'd be happy to send seeds. Be patient, though. I don't get to check my e-mail much or have much time to get on Gardenweb, but I will respond.

Martha

I went out this morning to pull some weeds and found 2 Swallowtails on my dill,one was large in size the other very small. I have plenty of dill.I didn't plant any parsley this year. Too bad.

I've had them on regular garden parsnip that went to seed...i (and the winged things) liked the flowers, so i let them go, and they are still coming up in the little patch of milkweed, etc I leave at the edge of my veg garden....hmmmm, i haven't checked there yet...

Found something! Possibly mock bishopsweed. On the edge of a golf course near the sidewalk while out biking the other day. Picked a few sprigs and one cat has been eating them since yesterday and seems quite happy with it! Hopefully I can get some to grow, and find more.

The sources above use the common name "Herbwilliam" for Ptilimnium capillaceum, which this thread calls Mock bishop weed. It is supposedly native to my state, but it is an obligate wetland plant, and rare or extirpated in a couple nearby states, so I am unlikely to find it. Not sure it would be the free abundant source the Sahmbo is looking for.

I too am curious about native food sources for this butterfly. I have 2 healthy full grown Zizia aptera plants, and a Zizia aurea that is smaller, started from seed last year. Haven't seen any BSTs near these plants.

In the meantime, Dill, fennel and parsley are extremely easy and cheap to grow from seed, and seem to work well. The plants are free if you collect your own seed. I'm raising 5 cats on dill right now - my first BSTs ever! :)

Terrene, You are lucky to live in a climate where dill, parsely, and fennel are able to grow once winter is over! Here the heat ironically kills it all right about the time the first black swallowtail arrives. UGH.
Luckily the rue does better, but there is never enough.
Good luck with those first BSTs, they are my favorite!!
kelly

While I have seen BST's in our garden early in spring, and then late summer my dill and smokey fennel remain caterpillarless except for a couple of hummingbird moth larva...bummer! I love the look of the fennel but will not be adding dill again. I think I'll try some parsley instead.

One mistake was that I planted some cosmos next to the fennel and they crowded it out. so my new fence border will be tropical milkweed, parsley, smokey fennel.

Wish me luck with the BST's in 11! Tony

PS. if anyone is interested in what the adult BST's liked: Mexican sunflowers, come and cut again zinnias....probably the lilliput zinnias too but I'm not 100% sure.

Coolbutterfly, 2 years ago the BSTs favored the Fennel, with 1 on the Dill and none on Parsley, last year I didn't see any eggs or cats at all, and this year they favored the Parsley and Dill, with none on the Fennel. Go figure? So I would continue to offer them a variety, you never know!

I raised 20 BSTs this year, and ended up supplementing their food with lots of the Zizia aptera leaves. Although I've never found any eggs or cats on the plants, they munched the leaves right down! Next year, I am going to baby these plants a bit more, they make a good backup food and maybe they will decide to lay eggs on them.