Holly-Leaf Cherry and Pale Swallowtails

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.

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.

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.