What butterfly never visits a flower?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

May 29, 2002

Sponsored By: Spring Hill Nursery—>Click here.

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Killer Picks: Silver Hens and Chicks, Green Hens and Chicks—>Click here.

Citronelle Heuchera, Little Bunny Dwarf Fountain Grass, Blue Festuca Grass—>Click here.

Hot Spot Garden—>Click here.

Adam's needle (Yucca filamentosa Linnaeus) is native to the southeastern U.S. In Florida, the plant is found in dry forests and sandhills; ancient dunes now forested with drought-tolerant species. Yuccas are the host plants for the yucca skipper butterfly (Megathymus yuccae (Boisduval and LeConte)).

Yucca — Cool Choice for Hot, Dry Spots! White flowers gleam on 3- to 5-foot stalks, set high above the dark, spiky foliage. Blooms summer, looks good even during dry spells. Resistant to pests and disease. Full Sun. Bareroot. Zones: 4 - 10 (-20° F.) Click here - $20 off any order for $50 or more at Gurneys.com! Gurney's Seed and Nursery

The fast-flying yucca skipper is seldom seen. In spring, male skippers perch on or near yuccas waiting for females. After mating, the females lay eggs singly on yucca leaves. Yucca skippers are univoltine, reproducing only once a year.

The young caterpillar feeds on the surface of the leaf under cover of a web. When the caterpillar reaches size to pupate, it bores into the yucca and eats its way down the subterranean stem and into a root. Once in the root, the caterpillar prepares for the following spring.

From the tip of the root, the caterpillar digs a tunnel to the surface of the soil. The end of the tunnel is crowned with a tower of silk, sand, and camouflaging debris. The caterpillar returns to the yucca root, shedding its skin to form the chrysalis.

Through the winter, the chrysalis controls its temperature by wiggling up or down within the yucca. The yucca skipper is the only butterfly known that can change location while pupating.

In early spring, the adult emerges from the chrysalis and crawls through the tunnel to the tower. At the top, the skipper secretes an enzyme dissolving the silk and allowing the tower to open. The butterfly waits atop the tower until its wings expand. The skipper is near the end of its life; it will not take nectar or pollen, only mate and die in the next few days.

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey has a photograph of Yucca filamentosa. To view the photograph, click on the link:

http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/history/herbarium/yucca_filamentosa.htm

The Butterflies and Moths of North America has photographs of the yucca skipper and the chrysalis inside the yucca root. To view the photographs, click on the link:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=2189

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

Springhill Nursery®

Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Silver Hens and Chicks

Springhill Nursery®

Small rosettes of succulent leaves form colorful tidy evergreen mounds. This fascinating grower will continue to multiply, creating a living carpet of color in your landscape.

Perfect as a ground cover, in a rock garden, rock wall, or decorative container.

Height: 2-5''.

Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8.

Sempervivum tectorum

Silver Hens and Chicks Ships In The Spring Click here - Save $20 on $50 order

Unique Characteristics: Very facinating grower. Small rosettes of succulent leaves form and spread by offsets from the base of an old rosette. They keep multiplying until you have a spot in your landscape or decorative pot spilling over with these great evergreen rosettes. Easy to use in a rock garden, rock wall or decorative container. It is said a rosette will die after it blooms, but it isn't very noticable because new rosettes are already forming around it.

Additional Information: Sempervivum means 'live forever' and in Central Europe it was a superstition that if a 'Houseleek' was planted on ones roof, the house was protected from lightening or fire, hence the common name 'Roof houseleek' or 'Common houseleek'.

Green Hens and Chicks

Springhill Nursery®

Green Hens and Chicks Ships In The Spring Click here - Save $20 on $50 order

Unique Characteristics: Very facinating grower. Small rosettes of succulent leaves form and spread by offsets from the base of an old rosette. They keep multiplying until you have a spot in your landscape or decorative pot spilling over with these great evergreen rosettes. Easy to use in a rock garden, rock wall or decorative container. It is said a rosette will die after it blooms, but it isn't very noticable because new rosettes are already forming around it.

Additional Information: Sempervivum means 'live forever' and in Central Europe it was a superstition that if a 'Houseleek' was planted on ones roof, the house was protected from lightening or fire, hence the common name 'Roof houseleek' or 'Common houseleek'.

Citronelle Heuchera

Springhill Nursery®

Bright chartreuse leaves draw attention to borders, rock gardens or a container in a shady spot. Slender spikes with creamy-white blooms appear above the compact mound of foliage in midsummer.

Grows to 12-15". Deer tend to avoid.

Shipped in 3'' pot.

Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9.

Heuchera x villosa ‘Citronelle’ (PPAF)

Citronelle Heuchera Ships In The Spring Click here - Save $20 on $50 order

Unique Characteristics: Bright chartreuse leaves are a sure draw for attention in a shade garden! Compact growing mounds of foliage are perfect for a front border or walkway. Slender spikes of delicate creamy white blooms appear in summer to add to the charm. Even the hummingbirds come to check out these plants.

Additional Information: Discovered in the trials of breeding Heuchera Caramel.

Little Bunny Dwarf Fountain Grass

Springhill Nursery®

A lovely, miniature grass for pots, rock gardens, borders- even as a small hedge! Densely tufted, dark green leaves form 8-12'' tall mounds that turn russet gold in fall. Airy, 18'' flowers plumes appear in midsummer and persist for months, creating a beautiful display in the winter landscape.

Plant 10-15'' apart.

Shipped in 3'' pot. Deer tend to avoid.

Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9.

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny'

Little Bunny Dwarf Fountain Grass Ships In The Spring Click here - Save $20 on $50 order

Unique Characteristics: A lovely mounding perennial grass, with attractive fluffy plumes in summer. The whole plant develops beige and golden russet colors in the fall and makes a beautiful display in the winter landscape. Because of its small stature it is ideal for many situation where its larger cousin would be too big. Excellent in containers and rock gardens as well as borders or used in specimen planting and low hedges. Of easy culture. The dry flower stems look wonderful in flower bouquets.

Select Blue Festuca Grass

Springhill Nursery®

The distinctive silver-blue foliage of this beautiful grass makes a striking counterpoint to other perennials in borders, rock gardens and even containers. Topped with blue-green flower spikes from early to midsummer, the perfectly rounded plants resemble miniature fountains, just 8-10'' tall.

Plant 10-12'' apart in almost any soil. Evergreen in most zones.

Shipped in 3'' pot.

Hardiness Zone: 4 - 8.

Festuca glauca 'Select'

Select Blue Festuca Grass Ships In The Spring Click here - Save $20 on $50 order

Unique Characteristics: Mostly grown for its foliage which is a decorative grayish blue. Usually planted about one foot apart, plants will not grow together but will form perfectly round fountain like tufts. Very tolerant of poor soil.

Hot Spot Garden

Springhill Nursery®

If you've got an area that receives full sun and usually dries out, here's the perfect solution. Our Hot Spot Garden gives you lots of height and lots of color, but requires little care. Who could ask for more? This problem-solving garden will give you blooms and lovely cuttings from mid-season to frost. Planting this 8-1/2' x 4' garden takes only an hour, but the enjoyment will last for decades.

Garden plan can be rearranged easily to suit your yard.

Total number of plants: 18

3 Galaxy Hibiscus Mix
3 Russian Sage
3 Black-Eyed Susan
3 Orange Glory Flower
3 Little Plum Lewisa
3 Stella de Oro Daylily

Hot Spot Garden Ships In The Spring Click here - Save $20 on $50 order

This collection includes:

Perennial Hibiscus Mix - One Cent Sale! (3), These huge, saucer to funnel-shaped blossoms on tall, upright plants are sure to be the stars of your summer landscape.
Russian Sage (3), Enjoy delicate clouds of long-lasting, violet-blue flowers from midsummer until early fall.
Black Eyed Susan Daisy (3), These are one of the few perennials to remain in bloom until frost. Hardy, easily grown plants multiplies fast.
Orange Glory Flower (3), Butterflies can't resist the bright color and sweet nectar of this North American native plant.
'Little Plum' Lewisia (3), Ideal for borders, rock gardens and other sites with well-drained soil.
Stella de Oro Daylily (3), Winner of the prestigious Stout Medal, this golden beauty blooms all summer long.