OH WOW! I was given seeds for these a coupla years ago by a former member, Ilene. Did you know those spent blooms are actually fit for human consumption? They are REALLY SWEET! Mine made it thru the first year, but then those awful 2 winter's hit back to back. Ugh.

You might want to save some of those seeds! They atracted hummers at our place also. (forgive spelling - I should be in bed by now).

Paula

What a beautiful show! Our entire property lies parallel to the congregation of all the neighbors' back yards. They see everything so we're looking to cover up the fences and I think these would be wonderful. We already have plenty of honeysuckle and sweet pea vines. Actually, the honey suckle come to be quite heavy on the fence after a couple years. Are these easy to grow?
bon

I have these all over the pasture behind my house. I mow more now so I don't get as many flowers, but they still survive every year.

I thought they were not safe to eat.

I think there are 100's of different kinds of those. I love the flowers and the legend that goes with them. I got one from a nursery that had large flowers, but it did not last but a year or two. The ones that are native to around here are not as pretty as the one I got at the nursery, but they come up every where, especialy in the fence rows where it is hard to mow them out. I have some seed but don't know which one they are.

The flowers are beautiful, I love to look at other peoples pictures, thank you for sharing.

Larry

Lisa, what variety are those? I would love to start one.

Moni

it says what kind in the heading of the post.... what a DUH moment. LOL

Moni

Moni,

Don't feel bad. i did the same thing but didn't get it typed in. :D

bon

Paula, I didn't know that!

Bon, yes, the passionvines are easy, but I did start these from plants, not seeds. I can't speak to starting them from seed. The p. caerulea doesn't seem to spread like the other ones. I have p. incarnatas too and they have some thuggish qualities!! The caurulea stayed green this entire winter. I think that is why it so pretty now.

Moni, if you will peer over at the butterfly forum you will see I had to ask the name of them :) I'm HORRIBLE at names. It seems like I heard this one might not be long lived. Not sure.

Susan has been encouraging me to work on butterfly host food, so I am excited I finally have a few and this is such a bountiful year for butterflies. I stood outside this afternoon and just watched bazillions of them flying around. I spotted my first gulf frit for the year. Woo Hoo!!!

Larry, I know there's a story connected to the name, but I haven't heard all the details. I really need to go look it up. I love posting pics, so I'm glad you like looking :)

Scott, I think you might be thinking of the fruit.

Lisa

Lisa, that is one GORGEOUS row of PV caerulea! You've done an outstanding job of cultivating that speciea. I cannot get it to grow and overwinter for me and have tried two times now. Yes, P. incarnata is a thug! But, without it I wouldn't have the Variegated Fritillary butterflies. They won't eat P. caerulea or any other PV for that matter.

PVs are very difficult to start from seed. For one thing, you have to have fresh seed. It is such a challenge, that I would rather purchase a plant than try it again from seed.

I have yet to see a Gulf Frit, darn it! My PV is not very full or large yet because the VFs have been so numerous this year - I have never seen so many. Most years, I am lucky to see one!

I have so many butterflies at my suet feeder of rotting bananas, it is amazing! I can barely be outside walking thru the garden without them flying into me. Right now, my biggest thrill is I have a group/flock of Mourning Cloaks. They are HUMONGOUS butterflies - as large if not larger than a Monarch. Too many Question Marks and Red Admirals to count. What a marvelous year we are having....

Susan

Lisa,

They're gorgeous!

I grew P. incarnata in Texas and always had so many gulf frits that they ate it down to the ground every year so you had to enjoy it before they found it, because after they found it, it disappeared. It generally regrew but it took it a while because it would regrow, and they would devour it again and again and again.

We also grew one that had red flowers because Chris liked it, but I don't remember anything eating that one.

Susan, We have so many butterflies you cannot walk around outside without them landing on you. Several times I've had someone walk up to me and stand staring at me before they finally say something like "do you know there's a butterfly sitting on top of your head?" (or shoulder or arm or whatever). It is hysterical.

We have all the same ones you mentioned, and especially the Red Admirals and Mourning Cloaks in great profusion, and also tons and tons of sulphurs and, in recent days, lots of Eastern Black Swallowtails. We also have the white-lined sphinx moths, though not yet in huge numbers. We also have some cats and butterflies I've never seen before, and haven't yet had time to identify. I need a rainy day so I can sit inside at the computer and figure out what they are, but the rain continues to elude us, so I guess I'll be out working in the yard all day.

Dawn

OK I'll avoid the incarnata as I'm already battling several types of invasive that I really enjoy, but I surely hafta get me some of that caerulea. Admittedly, I'm smitten by the color purple on anything.

Susan, do you think adding a removable greenhouse would help out? I'm not asking to assist you but considering what I would do if I attempted. I mean, what's the point if we cannot overwinter them and get a show in spring? I've plenty of "green" to deal with already :D

bon

It probably would help. That, or mulching heavily. Lisa must have the real secret. There are other hardy ones. I have P. 'Lavender Lady', which I've had in the ground since 1999. It comes back every year, but is very, very late to come up. Late May to June, usually. Once up, it grows quickly and it has the most gorgeous purple blooms.

Precure Nursery on 63rd street just west of Meridian, usually carries P. caerulea or Blue Crown Passion Flower. Other hardy varieties include 'Constance Elliott' a hybrid of P. caerulea, with a solid white flower that is stunning.

There are a few others, but not many. Most PVs are tropical in nature.

The rule of thumb for those wanting to attract the Gulf Fritillary butterfly, though, is not to acquire a red flowering variety as most are toxic to the caterpillars. There is only one that I know of that is not toxic and that is 'Lady Margaret'. It is not root hardy in Oklahoma, though.

Susan

I have no idea what I did differently! I have a couple others in different areas of the yard and they are barely there. I have another passionvine that shows up so late each year that I am sure it is dead until all of the sudden I see it in mid-summer. I think it might be Lavender Lady like Susan's.

Lisa

Glorious! Thanks for posting.