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ROSEBAY WILLOWHERB

daveandtrish1967daveandtrish1967 Posts: 27
in Talkback

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS PLANT I WOULD LIKE SOME IN MY GARDEN AS IT IS THE MAIN FOOD SOURCE FOR THE ADULT ELEPHANT HAWKMOTH WHICH IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND I BELEIVE SOME OTHER SPECIES AS WELL.

REGARDS,DAVID

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    I'd have a walk on some rough ground, especially near water, you can usually find it growing out of control. Most gardeners regard it as a weed as it seeds itself quite madly. You may find them in a wildflower mix, so I'd google a supplier.

  • Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge Posts: 3,502

    You can also buy plugs- I just found some on British Wild Flowers and Wildflower shop websites

    Wearside, England.
  • landgirl100landgirl100 Posts: 655

    There's a white one that's not quite so invasive, Chamerion angustifolium 'Album'. You can get it from nurseries such as Crocus and many others. Please don't dig up plants from the wild, it's illegal. However, you could collect seed heads later in the year and sow them in your garden or in pots.

  • landgirl100landgirl100 Posts: 655

    I've just looked up the Elephant Hawk-moth, and apparently the caterpillars love fuchsias. I'd rather grow fuchsias than Rosebay!

  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005
    Railway lines are a classic place to spot this plant, mainly because nobody gardens the banks next to them, so the seeds and plants spread about easily. Now I'm not suggesting that you risk getting squished by the 8.38 to St Pancras, but you might have some luck in an area near a railway line.
  • daveandtrish1967daveandtrish1967 Posts: 27

    Thanks Busy Bee2,I will have a look. Landgirl100,Yes the catterpillars need fuchsias but for healthy Catterpillars you first need healthy Elephant Hawkmoths which I have been reliably informed feed mostly on Willowherb ,this is begining to sound a little like the chicken and the egg isn't it !??!

    Regards David and Trish

  • landgirl100landgirl100 Posts: 655

    I'm told that the moth feeds mainly at night on plants such as Honeysuckle, taking the nectar as a source of sugars for energy. I'm learning such a lot from this topic!

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