tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72210070890245347352024-03-12T23:53:20.074-07:00Berkeley Butterfly BlogCaterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.comBlogger548125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-47846113174356918092020-05-17T18:03:00.000-07:002020-05-17T18:03:00.815-07:00Pale Swallowtail and Hollyleaf Cherry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Pale Swallowtail looks much like a Tiger Swallowtail. Except is is pale yellow, whereas a Tiger is bright yellow. They can sometimes be hard to tell apart. But they do lay their eggs on different plants. A Western Tiger Swallowtail will lay eggs on willows and plums, among others. Host plants for Pales include ceanothus and hollyleaf cherry. </div>
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Hollyleaf cherries bloom in spring. The bees love the flowers! If I stand under mine when it is in bloom, the buzz is quite loud. Could be scary, but the bees have no interest in me. </div>
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The hollyleaf cherry is evergreen. It grows about 20-30' tall. It makes a great hedge. In you need privacy, or want something green in the background, this is a very nice choice. It is a good substitution for a Eugenia hedge. The eugenias are dependable and have those fun magenta berries. However, they get those bubbly leaves from the eugenia psyllid. The hollyleaf cherry doesn't really have any insect problems, so I think it is the better choice.<br />
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I don't see Pale Swallowtails very much. But they do visit my backyard occasionally. I was even able to rear one from an egg collected from the hollyleaf cherry a few years ago. Very exciting!</div>
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<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-39459647899770940692020-04-29T20:30:00.001-07:002020-05-13T08:13:22.424-07:00Grass Skippers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have Ehrharta growing in my backyard. It is a very common weed. It was brought to the UC Berkeley campus on the shoes of researchers, and has spread everywhere. Including my yard. The Grass Skippers love it. They lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. </div>
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The eggs are white and pretty easy to find. The caterpillars sew themselves into a leafy tube. I think the Ehrharta makes this easy to do because the blades are soft and wide. They are not much fun to raise because the caterpillars are generally hiding. But it is not that hard. </div>
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Grass skippers are kind of brownish/orangeish butterflies. People ask me, "Are those butterflies?" Maybe because they are not showy. Yes, they are butterflies. Most day-flying lepidoptera are butterflies. They also ask, "What are those butterflies with four wings?" This really confused me at first. All butterflies have four wings, but given the way they hold them, I guess people think they have two. When skippers land, they look different. They often hold their wings in four separate planes so that you can see them clearly. So, the butterflies "with four wings" are skippers. </div>
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Ehrharta</div>
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There are other skippers, like the common checkered skipper. It is gray and white. It doesn't hold its wings in four separate planes. And it lays its eggs on mallows. Completely different from grass skippers. </div>
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Umber Skipper</div>
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And there are several different grass skippers in this area. Fiery and Umber are the most common. And they are difficult to tell apart, so I don't even try. I don't understand why the spellings are </div>
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F-I-R-E and F-I-E-R-Y. They are both all about fire. Weird!</div>
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Ehrharta</div>
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And I don't understand the spelling of Ehrharta either. It sounds more like "air harta." Must not be derived from English. </div>
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Grass Skippers do use other grasses, like Bermuda Grass and St Augustine Grass. And they must use some kind of natives. But I unusually see them on flowers or Erharta. They love Ehrharta! It is a great host plant. If you are planting a butterfly garden, leave some grasses at the edge of a lawn to grow tall and go to seed. This creates habitat for the skippers, and lets them complete their lifecycle on the hostplant. </div>
<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-81336487126128734152020-04-25T13:16:00.000-07:002020-04-25T13:16:57.393-07:00Gulf Fritillary and Passion Vine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Gulf Fritillaries are my favorite butterfly to raise. Their eggs are big and orange and easy to see on the green foliage. They have few parasites and diseases. It is easy to keep their host plant (passion vine) fresh. And the adults generally emerge in good time, unlike Anise Swallowtails, which overwinter as chrysalides. </div>
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Passion Vine is also easy to grow. Sometimes too easy. It can take over your whole garden! Gulf Fritillaries like Passiflora caerulea, a rampant grower. But they also like Lavender Lady, which is more delicate and easy to control. Passiflora Berkeley is also a favorite, but harder to find. </div>
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Neither the vine nor the butterfly is a native. The vine (from south of the border) has been planted as an ornamental and the butterfly has followed it north. It has become a resident as far north as Sacramento and Santa Rosa. </div>
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This is one butterfly that you are more likely to see in urban areas. That is where people plant passion vine, and it doesn't seem to escape from gardens. In many cases, the vine flowers profusely, but the fruit is sterile. When I check the fruits of my P. Berkeley, they are empty. </div>
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Passion Vines are highly recommended hostplants for a butterfly garden within the range of the Gulf Fritillary. One of the reasons I love this butterfly is that it hangs around all day, making your garden look like a butterfly garden. Many butterflies, such as Anise Swallowtails, lay a few eggs and fly off. They are beautiful, but they seem to spend most of their time looking for their next fennel plant. </div>
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I appreciate all the butterflies, but the Gulf Frit is a real winner!</div>
<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-86608514647958505582020-04-21T13:20:00.001-07:002020-04-21T13:20:41.436-07:00Rearing Butterflies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Can you see the tiny caterpillar next to the hole in the leaf? It is only a millimeter or so long. And very well camouflaged! Exactly the same color as the leaf. This is a Cabbage White on Nasturtium. </div>
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I like rearing them because they are easy to find and easy to rear. They can be found across the US wherever cabbages or nasturtiums grow. The larvae (caterpillars) can be hard to find because they are the same color as the leaf. The eggs are easier because they are white.</div>
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When rearing, I usually like to start with an egg, because I like to see all the stages. Also, if you have time to sit in the garden waiting for a female to lay eggs, they can be easy to find. At any rate, finding the critter is the hard part, everything after that is easy. </div>
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The caterpillars usually stay on the food plant when young, so a cage isn't really needed until later. The sometimes leave the plant to molt to a larger instar. They usually leave the plant when ready to become a chrysalis. That is called "wandering." So a cage is a good idea when they get big. You can read about homemade cages in my "Caterpillar Cages" blog post. It was my first!</div>
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Once you find an egg or caterpillar, decide if you want to rear it inside or outside. If you rear outside, you can put a net sleeve over the plant. Make you you check frequently, because sometimes the critters eat all the foliage inside the sleeve. </div>
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If you want to rear inside, get a vase and fill it water. Then cut the branch of the plant with the critter and put it in water. The leaves provide both food and water, so it must stay fresh. </div>
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Then you can watch it grow. After a few days, the plant will start to fade. For tiny caterpillars, you can use a watercolor brush to transfer them to a new leaf. Older caterpillars you can gently pick up. But don't handle them too much! New research indicates that it is really stressful. </div>
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When they are young, you can just put the vase on a piece of paper on a table. The frass (poop) will fall on the paper, and it is easy to dispose of. When they get older, put them in a cage. A net cage is best. They will pupate on the netting, or on sticks that you provide. </div>
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The length of pupation can vary from a few days to a few years. Crazy, huh!? Some butterflies overwinter as pupae. They may emerge the next spring, or they may wait until another spring. Emergence seems to be better is they experience a real winter, so put them someplace unheated like a garage or basement in December and January. Don't forget them! Put them back in the house in February so that you will notice when they emerge. </div>
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After the adult butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, It is best to give it 2-24 hours to expand its wings. Then release it outside on a sunny afternoon. Butterflies make the best pets because you never see them die. You just watch them fly away into a beautiful blue sky! </div>
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<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-56797921053568434152020-04-17T16:45:00.000-07:002020-04-17T16:45:52.432-07:00Common Checkered Skipper and Mallows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Common Checkered Skippers have many hostplants, all mallows. The one pictured here is a common weed Malva parviflora. They also use Malva neglecta and hollyhocks. They are very cagey about how they use the plant. Whereas Ladies create a web encrusted in frass on the surface of the leaf ( which makes them obvious but unappetizing) the Checkered Skipper folds back a section of the leaf and sews the fold closed. You would never notice the section was missing! They are completely hidden! Clever!<br />
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<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-78657686797783529972020-04-17T16:38:00.000-07:002020-04-25T13:17:18.570-07:00Anise Swallowtail and Fennel <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I have raised too many Anise Swallowtails to count. They are easy to find and easy to raise. The problem is the overwintering. They overwinter as a chrysalis. And sometimes for more than one winter. I had one that finally emerged 7 years later. Wow! Supposedly it is so they spread out their emergence, so at least some of them become adults when there is plenty of rain and plenty of host plant.<br />
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Their most common hostplant in urban environments is fennel. It was imported by the missionaries as a food plant, and it is edible. Before they showed up, Anise Swallowtails used Perideridia and Lomation. Also poison hemlock and cow parsnip. But their native host plants were eliminated, and they learned to use fennel. Clever!</div>
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<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-86055720992908875202020-04-13T12:25:00.001-07:002020-04-13T12:25:32.151-07:00Nasturtiums and Cabbage Whites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nasturtiums are one of the host plants for Cabbage Whites. Of course, Cabbage Whites also use cabbages and other plants in the cabbage family. But nasturtiums are everywhere and commonly used.<br />
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Cabbage Whites are not the charismatic butterfly. They are so plain in coloration, that people think they are moths. But, like most day-flying lepidoptera, they are butterflies. And they are not native. They were brought to this country from Europe, probably as eggs and larvae on cabbages.<br />
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However, I love them. Partly because they are so easy to rear. And partly because they are common across the USA. You can attract them almost anywhere. Put a pot of nasturtiums on your balcony in the middle of a big city, and you will probably get cabbage whites. The caterpillars are so well camouflaged, it is almost impossible to find them on leaves. I find it easier to look for the eggs, since the white eggs contrast nicely with the green leaves.<br />
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So even if Cabbage Whites are not the most beautiful or the most loved, they do have their positive qualities.<br />
<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-36755906939189910032020-04-11T10:49:00.002-07:002020-04-11T10:49:52.319-07:00Holly-Leaf Cherry and Pale Swallowtails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pale Swallowtails lay eggs on several different plants, including ash trees and coffee berry. But holly-leaf cherry is an especial favorite of mine, partly because I have actually gotten eggs on my small tree, and was able to raise them. And partly because it is simple a great plant.<br />
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There are two very closely related species, Prunus illicifolia and Prunus lyonii. Or maybe one is a subspecies of the other. One has redder fruits, and the other blacker fruits. And I think it makes little difference. The butterflies like them both, and they have similar habits. They both make fabulous evergreen hedges or small trees. In fact, I think they are great substitutes for a Eugenia hedge, which tends to get bubbly leaves from psyllids. Eugenia gets to be about 20' high, and Prunus about 30', but they can both be kept lower.<br />
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Pale Swallowtails are not the most common swallowtail around. Perhaps that is because their host plants are not planted that frequently. Perhaps if if you plant Prunus, they will come.Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-82411653323695389392020-04-07T08:44:00.001-07:002020-04-25T13:17:35.494-07:00Ceanothus and California Tortoiseshell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The California Tortoiseshell lays its eggs on Ceanothus. But only special kinds of Ceanothus. It likes the varieties with large leaves, like the one pictured here. I guess the smaller leaves don't offer enough foliage to eat. </div>
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The California Tortoiseshell has an interesting migration pattern. It likes to lay eggs on blooming Ceanothus. So, I see the adults in Berkeley in about March. But by the time the next generation emerges as adults, the ceanothus in Berkeley is generally done blooming, so the butterflies migrate east or north, looking for fresh blooms. The generations continue to higher elevations and higher latitudes, but return to Berkeley for the Ceanothus that blooms in the subsequent March.<br />
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Ceanothus is also the host plant for the Ceanothus Silk Moth, a large and beautiful moth. Although it is called the Ceanothus Silk Moth, it lays its eggs on a wide range of plants, including willow, ribes, and manzanita. It is largely a west coast species, ranging from Baja Mexico to California, Oregon, Washington, and into Canada. The adults do not feeds. I guess they put all their energy into reproduction.<br />
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<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-8876029403464538162020-04-02T13:03:00.001-07:002020-04-25T13:17:53.554-07:00White Clover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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White Clover (aka <i>Trifolium repens) </i>is a common lawn weed in the San Francisco Bay Area. Some people don't like it in their lawn because it can attract bees. Then, if you walk barefoot in the lawn, you can get stung. However, it is hardy, doesn't seem to need much mowing, and adds nitrogen to the soil. So, as with any plant, there are pros and cons.<br />
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However, I think it is a great plant to have because it is a host plant for Orange Sulphur butterflies. I rarely see them in flatlands Berkeley, but they are in the area, so I do recommend adding white clover to your lawn or butterfly meadow.Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-62877803338137473642020-04-02T12:55:00.001-07:002020-04-25T13:18:16.319-07:00Kenilworth Ivy <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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People are always concerned when I talk about Kenilworth Ivy. They think it will overtake their garden, like ivy. But it really isn't like ivy at all. Kenilworth ivy is small, delicate, and likes shade. It is also a host plant for Buckeye butterflies. It loves growing in the cracks of steps and walls. And it is absolutely charming!<br />
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The Latin name is <i>Cymbalaria muralis</i>. I guess the leaves are supposed to look like cymbals. Must be some kind of cymbal that I have never seen!<br />
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Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-14189144808933277542020-03-30T20:12:00.001-07:002020-04-25T13:19:32.390-07:00Thistles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1LkjBsLyhzjiAkkUfeiQ68G4gWniU1kG9V7TCahVTNf84d7s14I7g-JJ4WWEh5XD7Dj0pcaNavEAcGfICY5foBJX2peaF0uDNnR5CoHW0j83qPabekKwv9MZL9GbDZVU-vJzKnXCU-o/s1600/2CB75629-8EDB-4395-AD45-242D97C540E3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1LkjBsLyhzjiAkkUfeiQ68G4gWniU1kG9V7TCahVTNf84d7s14I7g-JJ4WWEh5XD7Dj0pcaNavEAcGfICY5foBJX2peaF0uDNnR5CoHW0j83qPabekKwv9MZL9GbDZVU-vJzKnXCU-o/s320/2CB75629-8EDB-4395-AD45-242D97C540E3.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
Having thistle in your garden can be work. Nobody wants to deal with a plant that can poke you, even through gloves. So I rarely see it around the neighborhood. But this patch is not far from my home. It is a favored host plant for Painted Lady butterflies, and Mylitta Crescents also use it. I remember being surprised to see a Mylitta Crescent in my back yard late one summer a few years ago. But I guess there is thistle in the neighborhood to support them. Another weed to appreciate.<br />
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<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-7457281833913104262020-03-23T16:53:00.001-07:002020-04-25T13:19:56.836-07:00Plantain and Buckeye Butterflies <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I mention plantain, people tend to think of the grocery store plantains, which look like bananas but are not as sweet. But when I am talking about butterfly host plants, I am referring to Plantago lanceolata, the common lawn weed. It grows easily in the Berkeley climate, and is a nice addition to a butterfly meadow, especially if you mow infrequently. </div>
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The butterflies seems to lay the eggs near the base of the leaf. They are difficult to collect without pulling up the whole plant. Then I never see the caterpillars feed during the day. I guess they hide in the soil during the day, and come out at night. The caterpillars have their own special beauty; they are adorned with electric blue dots at the base of the spines, which are very difficult to photograph. </div>
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It is well worth the trouble to rear buckeyes. The caterpillars are so beautiful. But the adult! When you see it flying by, it looks like a boring brown butterfly. But up close, the colors are amazing! </div>
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So please, don't think of Plantago lanceolata as a weed. Think of it as habitat. </div>
<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-48376111936051225712020-02-10T12:35:00.002-08:002020-04-25T13:19:12.053-07:00Hops and Red Admirals <br />
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<b> Red Admiral</b></h3>
<img alt="Image result for red admiral butterfly" src="https://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/atalanta%2002a%20medium.jpg" /><br />
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Before Europeans arrived on the scene, red admiral butterflies used stinging nettle, as pictured below.<br />
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Most stinging nettle has been removed. Although it is supposed to have healing properties, people don't like being stung, so they get rid of it. Now Red Admirals are more likely to use a common weed, pellitory, pictured below. Or hops, the picture below the stinking nettle. (host plant)<br />
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<img alt="Image result for pellitory" src="https://www.kansasnativeplants.com/guide/plant_image.php?plnt_id=462&size=640&file_id=2" /><br />
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<img alt="Image result for hops" src="https://www.lgbotanicals.com/assets/images/Hops-736.jpg" />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-48715883441961396712019-09-03T20:45:00.001-07:002019-09-03T20:45:27.960-07:00Passionvine <img alt="Image result for passiflora incarnata" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71WDLiHq2AL._SX425_.jpg" /><br />
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Passion flowers are so pretty. And unusual. Great vine for the garden. And the Gulf Fritillaries lay their eggs on it. So you get butterflies, too, if you are within their range.<br />
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But in addition, you can buy passionflower extracts to help decrease insomnia or anxiety. There is some evidence that it is effective. It can also cause hallucinations and psychosis in large doses.<br />
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But don't use garden plants as a sleep aid. Some species have cyanide in them. So some are more toxic than others.<br />
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(intoxicating plants)Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-17294453367253791972019-08-25T12:43:00.001-07:002019-08-25T12:43:07.599-07:00Insects Get drunk? <img height="640" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Red_Sarracenia_flava.jpg/800px-Red_Sarracenia_flava.jpg" width="424" /><br />
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<i style="font-size: 1.8em;">Sarracenia flava </i><span style="font-size: small;">By Stephencdickson - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60599735</span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Homer wrote about nepenthe, a drug to make people feel better and forget their woes. Kind of like alcohol. People noticed that insects acted drunk after drinking nectar from a carnivorous plant, so they named it Nepenthe. There is another carnivorous plant, Sarracenia flava, that has the same substance that affects insects: coniine. However, although the insects act drunk, they are actually getting paralyzed. So maybe they are not forgetting their woes at all. Maybe they are deep into misery over their woes. Unless there is something about coniine humans don't understand. So even though we may want to think of Nepenthe or Sarracenia as intoxicating plants, they are probably just toxic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Why do carnivorous plants want to catch insects anyway? It turns out they live in bogs or other wet habitats where all the nitrogen is washed away. All animals have significant stores of nitrogen, so they found away to attract and trap insects, some of the smallest and most available animals. Some have a sticky surface to trap insects. The Venus Fly Trap actually closes a leaf around them. Sarracenia and Nepenthe have ways to force insects into pool of water and digestive juices in their traps so that they drown. Plant are so clever!</span></div>
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Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-85599766510201307482019-07-06T18:54:00.001-07:002019-07-06T19:21:35.204-07:00Lavender <img alt="Bees on Purple Flower" src="https://images.pexels.com/photos/164470/pexels-photo-164470.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=750&w=1260" /><br />
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Lavender has a strong smell. Some people like it, but it is too strong for me. It is used in soaps, perfumes, lotions, etc. Egyptians used it for their mummies. Romans used it for cooking and bathing. The name comes from the Latin word for "wash."<br />
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The smell is designed to deter insects. It can be used as a sachet in drawers to repel moths.<br />
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It is also psychoactive. It calms people down and helps them sleep. It can even be better than prescription anti-anxiety drugs.<br />
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There are side-effects, however. Lavender is an endocrine disrupter. It can cause enlarged breast tissue in boys. That might work for someone who is interested in a male to female transition. But others may want to steer clear.<br />
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(intoxicating) (insects)Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-89608617562910571582019-07-05T15:56:00.001-07:002019-07-05T19:48:14.549-07:00Artemisia annua<img height="640" src="https://i.etsystatic.com/12801959/r/il/9b3f8d/1923682812/il_fullxfull.1923682812_by8v.jpg" width="521" /><br />
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(Photo from GonzalezAgroGardens)<br />
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Hundreds or species of Artemisia grow around this world. But this one, Artemisia annua, is a workhorse of medicinals. The common name is Sweet Wormwood, and it has been used to kill worms as an traditional medicinal. And in fact, it does kills worms, at least the flatworms that cause schistosomiasis. Biologist Pamela Weathers found that a tea made from Sweet Wormwood was more effective at curing the disease than the prescription drug PZQ.<br />
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This plant also works against malaria. We once had malaria in the USA, but we got rid of it killing mosquitoes, which is the vector. A guy in Texas encouraged bats by building huge bat houses. Also, insecticides were used to kill them. And standing water was drained to reduce the areas where mosquitoes could breed. But malaria continued to be a problem in other areas of the world. For a long time, it was treated with derivatives of quinine which was extracted from the chinchona tree. But the malaria became resistant to that drug. Over 200,000 compounds were tested worldwide to fine something to fight malaria. No dice. Then To Youyou came on the scene. She studied pharmacy in school and then learned about Chinese medicinal herbs. She screened over 600 plants on mice and discovered that a chemical derived from A. annua, artemisinin, could cure malaria. She got a Nobel for her work in 2015.<br />
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Subsequently, a professor at UC Berkeley, Jay Keasling, figured out how to modify yeast so that could make artemisinin resulting in a low-cost quality product. It is now in production.<br />
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So what about sacred use? Smoke, from incense or smudging has be used around the world to cleanse spaces. Smudging was a Indian tradition before the Europeans arrived. But incense was used traditionally by the Europeans. Even Jesus got a gift of frankincense when he was born. I don't exactly see how smoke can clean anything.<br />
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And as far as intoxicating, some species are more used than others. It is supposed to make you feel calm and relaxed, like pot, but not so strong. It is also used for lucid dreaming and astral projection.<br />
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Both live plants and dried plant parts are available online.<br />
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(intoxicating, sacred, insect)<br />
<a class="text-link-secondary ml-xs-1 display-flex-xs" href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/397905553/artemisia-annua-mugwort-artemisa-live?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_b-craft_supplies_and_tools-floral_and_garden_supplies-greenery_and_gardening-plants-herb_plants&utm_custom1=00461490-d82d-4740-83a0-8c7e3f470401&utm_content=go_1843970767_71423386242_346364344038_aud-736801674456:pla-295748121776_c__397905553&gclid=CjwKCAjw6vvoBRBtEiwAZq-T1Z5z9zOtBhPpctFsl9Z-3zpn9QcBl99x3N9T4tEtc2EBQtIiF7AR7BoCiP4QAvD_BwE#reviews" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(34, 34, 34) !important; display: flex !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 6px; text-decoration-line: none !important;"></a><br />
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</a>Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-89274135388190863802019-06-26T21:40:00.000-07:002019-06-26T21:40:52.387-07:00Cycads<img alt="Image result for cycad free stock photo" height="480" src="https://images.freeimages.com/images/large-previews/01b/cycad-1373302.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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It may look like a baby palm tree, but it is not. In areas where it grows, it has even been used instead of palm fronds on Palm Sunday. But a palm is a flowering plant, and cycads are gymnosperms, which are related to pines and do not flower. However, they do have seeds and pollen, and some species in this group may have been among the first plants pollinated by insects. And, in regards to pollen, the pollen of some cycads has been used as a narcotic.<br />
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The group is old, and lived at the same time that butterflies were coming into existence and dinosaurs were dying out. Maybe the long lost cousins of this plant were eaten by a stegosaurus.<br />
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Cycads grow around the world, mostly in the southern hemisphere, although they are found naturally in Florida and Mexico. They are also native in South America, India, Africa, and Australia.<br />
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They also grow in the Philippines and in Guam, east of the Philippines. In those areas, as in many others, the starchy parts of the plant are used for food after the toxins are carefully leached out.<br />
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This worked well, and few people got sick. However, mysteriously, many people started to get sick in the 1940s. At the time, they didn't know the cause. But after some sleuthing, it was traced back to the cycads.<br />
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During traditional feasts, the native Chamorro men ate bats boiled in milk. THE WHOLE THING: fur, bones, guts, all of it. They had done this for hundreds or maybe even thousands of years. However, during WWII, a military base was established on Guam, which brought guns to a culture that had never had them before. As a result, they could kill more bats and eat more bats. It turns out that the bats were feasting on cycads, and accumulating the toxins in their body. Then when the men ate the bats, they ingested a super sized dose and got sick.<br />
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Thankfully, as the Chamorro started eating fewer bats, the incidence of the disease decreased.<br />
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(intoxicating plants) (sacred plant)<br />
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<br />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-78671010169138728302019-06-07T18:11:00.003-07:002019-06-07T18:12:38.511-07:00Papaver somniferumPoppies are famous for opium and muffins. Supposedly, the plants used for culinary purposes have a lot less of the psychoactive chemicals. But who knows? So many cultivars and varieties, it is hard to tell. When the seedheads are cut, the latex that flows is harvested and made into opium or other drugs. (Intoxicating Plant)<img alt="Poppy Flower, Poppy Buds, Poppy Capsules" src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/05/26/19/44/poppy-flower-3432093_960_720.jpg" />Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-60020277568404086552019-06-06T19:59:00.001-07:002019-06-08T13:05:32.775-07:00Desert Tea-----------Ephedra californica<br />
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<img alt="Ephedra californica, California Ephedra, is a primitive plant and grows in dry areas of California." src="https://www.laspilitas.com/images/grid24_24/7760/s/images/plants/262/Ephedra_californica.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b7116; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 30px; text-align: center;">(Las Pilitas Nursery Photo)</span></div>
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Ephedra californica is native to both California and Arizona. It was used by indigenous people to cleanse the blood and suppress appetite.<br />
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It is called Desert Tea or Jointfir. Can you see the joints in the photo above?<br />
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Many species of Ephedra grow around the world. One of the most famous is Ephedra sinica, also known as Ma Huang. It has been used in Chinese tradition medicine for 2,000 years. Many ephedras, including this one, contain epinephrine and pseudo-epinephrine. They shrink swollen tissue, relieving nasal congestion. They are also stimulants that increase the heart rate, sometimes enough to cause cardiac arrest or stroke. In the early 1900s, Nagai Nagoyoshi created methamphetamine from E. sinica. It was subsequently given to soldiers to keep them awake and keep them fighting. Not just Japanese soldiers, but also American, German and British soldiers.<br />
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You can't buy meth legally, but you can buy pseudo epinephrine; the brand name is Sudafed. But the sale is now closely monitored because too many people were using it to cook meth.<br />
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(Intoxicating Plants)Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-70775616421104718082019-02-06T18:12:00.000-08:002019-02-06T18:12:57.057-08:00Ergot <br />
Do you see the brown things sticking out of the brown seedhead on the right? That is ergot, a fungus that grows on rye grass. The history of ergot in regards to humans is deep and wide and has both positive and negative elements. It has caused death and disease, has been used as an intoxicant, and has provided a source for chemicals to treat migraine. It is both hated and revered.<br />
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<img alt="Rye illustration from Medical Botany (1836) by John Stephenson and James Morss Churchill." height="640" src="https://img.rawpixel.com/s3fs-private/rawpixel_images/website_content/k-pd9-jj-0047_1_0.jpg?auto=format&bg=F4F4F3&con=3&cs=srgb&dpr=1&fm=jpg&ixlib=php-1.1.0&mark=rawpixel-watermark.png&markalpha=90&markpad=13&markscale=10&markx=25&q=75&usm=15&vib=3&w=1400&s=a3ea1247fb19a1dfa12980f27e6c18b8" width="440" /><br />
Illustration from <b>Medical Botany (</b>1836) by John Stephenson and<br />
James Morss Churchhill. Reproduction thanks to Rawpixel.<br />
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Ergot, among other things, constricts blood vessels. This means that it can be used to reduce the pain of migraine and reduce hemorrhaging after childbirth. But it also means that it can cause hands and feet to dry up and fall off. This is called gangrenous egotism.<br />
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Ergot grows on rye when the weather is moist. So a staple in the diet becomes poisonous. Hundreds of years before Christ was born, ergotism was mentioned in an Assyrian tablet. Sickness from this fungus was rather too common in the middle ages. Thousands of people died.<br />
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It also causes people to feel hot, dance, writhe, and hallucinate. Visions of flying are especially common. Wise pagan women (who later became known as Witches by christians who feared powerful women) used ergot to help women survive childbirth and to help themselves have magical experiences. They smeared magic wands with ergot and applied the fungus to mucus membranes, where it could be absorbed while causing little harm. The wands were disguised as brooms with twigs and straw at one end. That is why Witches always have brooms. Witches are old because it takes time to become wise. They have warts because any imperfection would cause christians to accuse a woman of being a witch. The green skin? That is the result of a portrayal in The Wizard of Oz.<br />
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LSD was developed from ergot by Afred Hoffmann at the Swiss company Sandoz. It is not a legal drug. Except Dr Peter Gasser, a Swiss psychiatrist, is using it to help people deal with terminal illness.<br />
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Another drug derived from ergot is ergotamine. This is a legal prescription drug used to treat migraine. It has been in used to treat headaches since 1925 and is still available today. Since it is chemically related to neurotransmitters and and causes visions, it is not surprising that it can help with a pain in the head. So maybe it works by working on the blood vessels and on the neurons.<br />
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(Rx, sacred plant, poisonous plant, intoxicating plant)Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-61942175098506394642019-02-05T12:03:00.001-08:002019-06-26T21:51:03.164-07:00Pacific Yew--Taxus Brevifolia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidguCtqka8Mncf-bLesOhXMVZ1IxHGZ_HYMPmFP91XOkBIO-V-h7DUfBb6F49yJ0WN7IdVo2ksZYPbNRKqmACVIG8wo_CVUfBJUCQFZgaZLkHD__dsOwNb4wYpLB7ldQQUjVJNcG_pxlM/s1600/IMG-4725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidguCtqka8Mncf-bLesOhXMVZ1IxHGZ_HYMPmFP91XOkBIO-V-h7DUfBb6F49yJ0WN7IdVo2ksZYPbNRKqmACVIG8wo_CVUfBJUCQFZgaZLkHD__dsOwNb4wYpLB7ldQQUjVJNcG_pxlM/s640/IMG-4725.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
Pacific Yew is an evergreen tree native to the Pacific Northwest. It is famous as the source of Taxol, one of the most effective cancer treatments found in the last fifty years. Its discovery came after many hiccups and false starts, and my summary will make it all look very simple, which it wasn't.<br />
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In the 1950s, the National Cancer Institute was screening every synthetic chemical it could get its hands on for anti-tumor activity. In 1960, it started in on natural products. Since they needed an accurate identification to make sure that it knew where the substances were coming from, they turned to USDA botanists. They tested 30,000 samples per year. In 1962, Arthur Barclay collected samples from the Pacific Yew and submitted them to the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina. Dr Susan Brand Horwitz delineated its mode of action: it encouraged development to such a degree that cell division became uncoordinated and cells died.<br />
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It was selected for clinical trials in 1977. However, the trials were delayed for years due to the difficulty of extracting enough Taxol. It is in very low concentrations in the yew, and the highest concentration is found in the bark. When the bark is harvested, the trees die. Since the bark is only 1/8" thick, to treat one patient for one year, several trees were needed.<br />
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Environmentalists complained. They pointed out that the slow-growing yews would be decimated withing a few years in order to treat all the people who would want it. In addition, the yew was the habitat of the Northern Spotted Owl.<br />
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Scientists looked for another source of Taxol. They were unable to find one. However, they did find a tree with a precursor to Taxol. Not only was a taxane present in the European Yew, there were reasonable concentrations in the leaves, so that the tree did not need to be sacrificed to extract the chemical. In addition, yews are grown as hedges in Europe, so that trimmings were regularly available.<br />
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Synthesizing Taxol from European Yew worked well for awhile. But now it can be made in the lab from plant cell cultures. The yews of the Pacific Northwest were saved by the ingenuity of scientists working together.<br />
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It is used to treat breast, lung and ovarian cancer as well as Karposi's Sarcoma. It is one of the most potent chemotherapy agents ever discovered. Yay, trees!<br />
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(Rx)Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-50013910870464031002019-02-05T11:26:00.000-08:002019-06-26T21:59:06.748-07:00European Yew--Taxus Baccata <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNR_Um4mbFE49-T2JyS4PS0eq4RiZkJc-b4h2suPrSXyT3v3ITaIOQ7pxD8bpW6lDRMhLA6wHNznr8u-SviTzZLyCHCQHBphEwmKIgNfidq60BQfuHMvn3ervDlN3FxNGJnOhby3NZ7UI/s1600/IMG-0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNR_Um4mbFE49-T2JyS4PS0eq4RiZkJc-b4h2suPrSXyT3v3ITaIOQ7pxD8bpW6lDRMhLA6wHNznr8u-SviTzZLyCHCQHBphEwmKIgNfidq60BQfuHMvn3ervDlN3FxNGJnOhby3NZ7UI/s320/IMG-0003.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The European Yew has a deep and wide history all over Europe. The British made bows from the strong flexible wood. The Druids used it to make magic wands. It was commonly used in musical instruments such as lutes and primitive flutes. Since it lived thousands of years and sprouted when drooping branches touched the soil, it was revered as a symbol of reincarnation by the pagans and Resurrection by the Christians. Since it was used to make weapons, even in ancient times, it was sacred to Hecate, the Greek Goddess of death and the underworld.<br />
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It is perhaps the most poisonous plant in Europe and all parts except fleshy covering of the seed are toxic. Yew residue was found on spear points from 50,000 years ago. Ancient Celts use the sap on arrowheads and for ritual suicide. Even Shakespeare mentioned it in a witches brew in Macbeth.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Double, double toil and trouble;</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"> Liver of blaspheming Jew,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> Gall of goat, and slips of yew</span><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCg-t7ydDs-FUOZ2nNEnY29YbVgvtVgW_7uoWH9p6d3QHdOCUugTKNhhT7TYPkZbkye60Nofe1oIUhslC46GUx2KuBkC5TTM1hzjYUOG4CoSrQY21HOZwv9gqTCXpRgfI0s1_04-qXY8E/s320/IMG-0005.JPG" width="240" />The UC Botanical Garden calls this an English Yew, but it occurs all over Europe, so I like the name European Yew better. At any rate, it is closely related to the Pacific Yew, Taxus brevifolia, which grows in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Canada. Slowly. It grows very slowly. The European Yew also grows slowly, but it is very adaptable (any soil, sun or shade) and has been planted in gardens and parks for hundreds of years. Whereas the Pacific Yew grows sparsely on public lands such as national parks and forests. One use of the European Yew has become particularly important in recent years. It has been planted as a hedge in many areas. This means that it is trimmed regularly, and since the precursor to the cancer drug Taxol occurs in the leaves, it can be used to synthesize the drug without harming the plant. In contrast, the drug only occurs in the bark of the Pacific Yew, and at least three trees had to be destroyed to treat one patient for a year. That didn't sit well with environmentalists.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWimKFlV9cgYosMUIYCwXl-CBd5X5K5haynqEhL73FCyATt0i9oPfra7xjDL06whK1iepmhZ2hP0lIIF9hhpVlf0xtKweJRf_JzVj6_nPmcgegQ_MJDxhSYdzQrG6xpXIsVVP0jguoPYU/s1600/IMG-0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWimKFlV9cgYosMUIYCwXl-CBd5X5K5haynqEhL73FCyATt0i9oPfra7xjDL06whK1iepmhZ2hP0lIIF9hhpVlf0xtKweJRf_JzVj6_nPmcgegQ_MJDxhSYdzQrG6xpXIsVVP0jguoPYU/s320/IMG-0006.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Yews are sacred, planted in churchyards throughout Britain. However, since the trees are older than the churches, they were probably used by Druids by a sacred grove before christians appropriated the space and crushed their practices. Christians believe that the poisons in the yew protect the dead. So not only are they common in the graveyard, branches are actually buried with the dead.<br />
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For the solstice, the Druids decorated evergreens with symbols of hopes for the coming year: fruits for a good harvest, love charms for a new relationship, nuts for fertility and coins for wealth. This was the precursor to the evergreens we put in our homes in December in modern times.<br />
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Yews have been the source of one of the most potent cancer treatments found in the last fifty years. Yews can kill you, and they can cure you. We may not worship them or consider them sacred. but many people are thankful for the gifts of the yew.<br />
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(sacred plant. Rx)</div>
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Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7221007089024534735.post-15226891301166386222018-10-28T12:05:00.002-07:002019-02-06T18:23:31.281-08:00Growing Aristolochia CalifornicaI took the time this morning to read a bit about what people recommend concerning the growing of this plant. Some important information is being left out, so I am putting my thoughts into this blog.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoEZui_TOfBzgeI-81g_QdXsRvj4XDw9JY3h0UwfZKrBsQFNkzoGWyJDoEz03lqRqoqjKf7ZKgapy1q6Ce7ZaumK6RPdWmkeUG8USUvTmNMMeC9GrjxnP-00EU-3Le1FiIHP4Z096Yv8/s640/blogger-image-1770901154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoEZui_TOfBzgeI-81g_QdXsRvj4XDw9JY3h0UwfZKrBsQFNkzoGWyJDoEz03lqRqoqjKf7ZKgapy1q6Ce7ZaumK6RPdWmkeUG8USUvTmNMMeC9GrjxnP-00EU-3Le1FiIHP4Z096Yv8/s640/blogger-image-1770901154.jpg" /></a>I have been growing California Pipevine for more than ten years. It is now well established and takes care of itself for the most part. But I had a few false starts. It does need some attention for the first few years, especially because it is slow to get going. Have you heard the saying, "first year it sleeps, second year it creeps, and third year it leaps"? Yes, it needs to be monitored until it gets going. </div>
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Where should it be planted? The roots like lots of shade. So the first one I planted I put into complete shade. It died after a couple of years. I think it is better to plant it someplace where it gets dappled shade or half a day of sun, and then mulch the roots. I don't like mulch much because it reduces habitat for ground-nesting bees, but it can be useful in certain circumstances, such as when Aristolochia roots need to be kept cool. </div>
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Another thought when planting is to plan for something for it to climb into. One of mine grows on deck and staircase balusters. A trellis can work. They really seem to love growing up through another bush or tree. My plant that is growing into the Rhododendron seems especially happy. The Rhodie gives the roots heavy shade and the leaves dappled shade. Perfect!</div>
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I have seen it growing nicely on the ground at the UC Botanical Garden. The problem with this is, like some other vines, it doesn't flower or fruit unless it is growing vertically. And then it is really boring! </div>
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It needs water. After all, it is riparian, which means it normally grows near a source of water. If there is no natural source of water, it will need to be watered for at least the first year. Planting it near a lawn or other plants that get regular water is a good idea. </div>
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Then, it needs protection. It is toxic and deer resistant, so deer are not too much of a problem. But but since it is so slow, it can be overtaken by weeds. Again, mulch can help. But hand weeding may also be necessary. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUpq3i93Qbd4wnCmLQBWzwCNhxzsPgdXe9xl8UTxqjo7to2Y8_RrdNrsG9wvnAb9rifikCv_zehqLY1JF8OCDxHduymzalpc5vFIT3vLw2Fq88aLA3tTiqHENiuDnNl5KiwS_olLWZuc/s640/blogger-image--1338476262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUpq3i93Qbd4wnCmLQBWzwCNhxzsPgdXe9xl8UTxqjo7to2Y8_RrdNrsG9wvnAb9rifikCv_zehqLY1JF8OCDxHduymzalpc5vFIT3vLw2Fq88aLA3tTiqHENiuDnNl5KiwS_olLWZuc/s640/blogger-image--1338476262.jpg" /></a>This plant has associations with at least three insects. The Pipevine Swallowtail larvae and adult are pictured here. This caterpillar feeds on the leaves. And the adult only lays eggs on Aristolochia. It definitely uses other plants in this genus, but in California, the California Pipevine was the only hostplant until non-native Aristolochias were imported. </div>
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The weird maroon and green flowers are pollinated by a fungus gnat. Seems like they have their needs, too. As you might guess, fungus gnats like dark moist places, and flowers that get too much sun are sometimes not pollinated. </div>
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The third insect is a wasp that steals the seeds when the fruits open. I guess they eat them. The wasps love the seeds so much that they are there the second the fruits open and will take every last one. I bag the fruits in June so that the wasps can't get to them and I can have seeds to plant. But I suspect that the wasps are effective propagators as well. Aristolochia weeds show up in random places in the UC Botanical Garden. I am convinced that the wasps drop the seeds and they sprout where they land. So, if you want Aristolochia to grow in your neighbors yards, leave some seeds for the wasps. </div>
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Keep in mind that if you want the butterflies, just one plant in your backyard isn't going to be enough. So rogue plants growing from seeds distributed by friendly wasps into neighbors' backyards may be a charming answer to how to grow enough hostplants to create habitat. </div>
Caterpillarladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977512175207562853noreply@blogger.com0