Gulf Fritillary and Passion Vine

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

I appreciate all the butterflies, but the Gulf Frit is a real winner!