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fighting8r

pipevine swallowtil hosts in South Florida

fighting8r
11 years ago

Just wondering, I know there is a list of host plants by species here, but I am specifically looking for anyone who hosts pipevine larva in South Florida or SW Florida. I have the pipevine growing for the polydamas but the only pipevines for he pipevine swallowtail I've gotten to grow at all are the white-veined one (thanks to Mechelle in Texas) and the tri-lobed pipevine. Problem is, those do not exactly thrive and I usually just have a few small sprigs, enough for just very small caterpillars. Has anyone successfully grown any other kind in HOT subtropical weather? I just discovered a small gang of PVS cats and will have to donate them to the local butterfly house (and have them live out their lives in an aviary instead of free) if I cant find something to feed them!!

This is like the seconde time EVER Ive seen any evidence of a pvs in this area. probably B/c there is no suitable host around?

If anyone has knowledge of this please share!

Comments (5)

  • imabirdnut
    11 years ago

    Not in South Florida but I have been reseeding the A.fimbriata for several years & they still devour it quickly because they seem to prefer it to the A.tormentosa vines I have. I also have Virginia Snakeroot that is gone in a day or 2! I would encourage you to plant the A.fimbriata in the shade...it will be a perennial for you & will get larger every year! You could order a A.tormentosa plant from Mail Order Natives...that's where I got my 2 plants! The female PVSTs only lay their eggs on the new growth but I use it for larger cats when I run out of A.fimbriata!
    {{gwi:449446}}
    I also bought seeds from Georgia Vines of several South American species that are supposed to be good for PVSTs but have had no luck in them germinating & worry that they will kill my cats!
    Hope someone else will answer your questions better than I have!
    Good luck!
    Lila

    Here is a link that might be useful: Aristolochia tormentosa

  • fighting8r
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Lila. I keep trying the fimbriata in different spots and it just dies. Have I think two left in pots, each of which has one little stem, so just wanna keep them alive. Funny where yours is growing in the pic looks a lot like some areas where I've tried to grow it. I definitely always try to keep it in the shade.
    One nice thing about the tri-lobe - one has some pieces growing on the ground which have rooted so I cut those and made new plants out of them. Of course this is too little too late for this crop of PVS cats so will have to look for something...
    Anyway appreciate your input, and your pic is great! Thanks!
    kelly

  • mboston_gw
    11 years ago

    Kelly - I have the same issue here in Central Florida. I have small white-veined and use it when I do find cats but you are correct in that they are slow growers here in this hot weather. I find they grow faster in the fall when we start to have cooler days and nights. I watched a female lay eggs on Sunday on my Calico Pipevine and I know they won't survive unless I move them. I have successfully raised 2 cats on the most tenderness, smallest leaves of my Calico but that meant hand picking leaves and raising the cats indoors (well, on my porch). To then release them to know that they will only lay eggs again on the Calico (if they are females/found a male as well), I find it rather useless to go through the effort. However, there must be some form of host plant around as I see them pretty routinely in my yard. I wish I knew what it was and where it was. I have tried Virgina Snakeroot to no success - so, I guess its survival of the fittest in this case.

  • fighting8r
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Mary.
    It also is so frustrating trying to ID aristolochia, since there are so many and sometimes the pics you find do not match the plant description. Like I saw one describing (I think it was selling) a. fimbriata but with a pic of elegans or something like that.
    I have two that are unidentified. One has the giant lemony flowers so I know it is not good for the PVS. The other has more rounded heart shapes and like a bit lighter shade of green. Very slightly but noticeably different. But I've never seen it flower, which I'm sure might help with the ID.
    Anyway.
    Thanks again for all the input!
    kelly

  • MissSherry
    11 years ago

    I've been raising pipevine swallowtails on A. tomentosa for years, and, as far as I know, it's the only vine that will support them in south Florida. Mine grow in part sun/part shade, and I'd definitely recommend at least a half day of shade in your area. P. tomentosa grows best in cool to warm weather, stops in hot, and if you scratch the vines, you'll see that they stay green all winter long. They also like good drainage - mine are in raised beds - in rich soil, so I put chicken manure around them once or twice a year. Florida sand would definitely need some organic matter and/or manure.
    I've been releasing my last batch regularly lately, so I'm awaiting more eggs/cats on the new growth the vines have made lately. We've had a lot of rain, plus cloudy days, with very cool for summer temps - the A. tomentosa vines love that!

    Sherry

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