We have two Passionvines planted on purpose for the Gulf Fritillary butterflies (host plant). The vines were thriving, and even bloomed. Here is what is left after the Gulf's ate the leaves and started on the stems: And this is one of the instars (caterpillars) that did this: We don't mind because the vine will recover and we'll go through the same thing next summer and fall!
Not only will the vines return next spring, they will bring along at least a dozen of their underground running relatives!!!
If you need more next year,, let me know. Our big garden has plenty that need a home.Wish those catapillars would come here.
Mart, thank you for the offer, but we have three vines going now and I think that there will be more in the spring (according to Toni!). Sjoerd, those little caterpillars do have Texas size appetites, or it may be the sheer numbers of them.
The vine was about 6' long, with multiple branches. It even crawled into the zinnias and I had to gently lift it out and put it back on the trellis. Next year, bigger trellis!
The 17 Swallowtail cats on my Fennel about two months ago stripped two 6 foot tall plants clean. But I loved seeing the butterflies all over the front and back gardens a few weeks later.
Which, of course, is why we plant these larval host plants for the various butterflies; so we end up with all these beautiful "FLYING FLOWERS" ... Hank
My passion vines have the same thing. You have to be careful though (if you are trying to get flowers) because once they eat all the leaves they will start on the vine ends and stop their growth until they recover. In my zone, the vines can live all year, so in order to have a happy median (caterpillar and flower) I hand pick some of the caterpillars so they don't totally destroy the whole vine. I get a lot of caterpillars / butterflies and have some of a vine left.
I had that happen to some plants I had too but a different type of caterpillar, I think it was the swallowtail. I can't remember positively which plant, but I think it was parsley.
Parsley is a host plant for Swallowtail cats....and Fennel is another plus several more. I have parsley and fennel planted in several places front and back just for them since we do not eat either. Yesterday there were 6 Caterpillars on the Fennel out front and about a dozen eggs just waiting for their turn to live. Have not seen any Fritillary cats on our passionflower vines yet but the vines are just getting started here this year.
