Our patch of the Texas native pipevine, Aristolochia watsonii is home this week to some very happy, and very voracious pipevine swallowtail caterpillars. Although the plant will soon be defoliated, it’s designed as such, and will quickly reflush with new foliage once the caterpillars have molted. We love the color combination of the bronze leaves
My Dear Watson, You make a Good Snack Read More »
by Patrick McMillan The past couple of weeks the small, freakish flowers of one of the strangest of plants have begun to open in our gardens – pipevines. It’s difficult to believe that nature could summon up anything as strange as the flowers of pipevines. If you remember the “regular” aka actinomorphic and the “irregular”
Pipevines – A weirdo that you and your swallowtails can’t live without. Read More »
The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars are munching away on any aristolochia (pipevine) in sight. This week, their favorite in the garden is the stunning Aristolochia fimbriata. Nature has created a wonderful balance where the catepillars each just enough to survive and grow, but not enough to damage the plant, which will quickly re-flush.
