April Flowers

 Here at the end of April, we have a beautiful assortment of native wildflowers to share.

 

The oak-leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) shrub is full of large flower clusters.

Oak-leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) panicle

Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris)

Two catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) trees grow near the Fitness Center. Be sure to look up to find the large flower clusters. Individual flowers are scattered in the grass, too.

Around the trunk of this dead eastern red cedar, you can find foxglove, strawberry bush and maypop flowers.

Foxglove Beard-tongue (Penstemon digitalis)

  

Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus)

Ants were busy working the pollen of the strawberry bush.

Maypop (Passiflora incarnata)

There isn't just one flower on the mapop vine. Note the flower buds on the verge of opening.

Beetles were congregating on the maypop flowers.

 

Spiderwort (Tradescantia sp.)

 

Spiderwort (Tradescantia sp.)

  

 

Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa)

 

Coral Bean (Erythrina herbacea)

Lizard tail (Saururus cernuus) and flowering magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) are also flowering right now, and they will continue on into the month of May.

Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)

Now that it's the beginning of November, you can find quite a few Gulf fritillary caterpillars on the Maypop (Passiflora incarnata). Coincidentally or not, a couple of years ago in 2023, we photographed these critters on November 5th! How's that for consistency? This year, chilly, autumnal weather seems to be on the verge of freezing the Maypop vine, so hopefully the little caterpillars enjoy the green foliage while they can. 

You can find the Gulf fritillary caterpillars on the prosperous Maypop vine, growing around the trunk of the deceased red cedar, near the Fitness Center. If you want to study the caterpillars, you will need to turn over some leaves―this one sits on top just for the photoshoot.

The other caterpillars were hidden under the leaves.

 

A couple of caterpillars were briefly relocated for a closer examination.

Examining the whole vine reveals the different sizes of caterpillars. As they grow, they molt, shedding their skin and becoming larger. These developmental periods between moltings are called instars (that's Latin for image, likeness, or kind).

 

The large caterpillar is more than an inch in length, while the tiny caterpillar is more than ¼ of an inch. That little fella is likely a newborn!

How long does it take the Gulf fritillary caterpillars to mature? The answer is about a month, with two or three weeks growing in the caterpillar stage and another week or two developing in the chrysalis.

Helpful Links

LSU AG Center 12-2022 Publication with info on Gulf Fritillaries 

Short Article from Loyola University in New Orleans on the Gulf Fritillary 

Maypop (Passiflora incarnata)

 

A delightful seasonal treasure thrives at the base of an eastern red cedar trunk. See our previous post on this plant here.

Purple flowers bloom on this bush-shaped vine. The flowers seem to be best during the morning hours.

These flowers, some wilting and some blooming, are awesome to behold. Note the sneaky anole, pictured center. That's a reptilian "photobomb."

What amazing colors and shapes are present here, part of a totally wild and unselected plant. And, looking closer, you can see a developing fruit.

And the 'great reward,' a green fruit shaped somewhat like a hen's egg, is hidden among the leaves.

The flesh of these fruits tastes tropical, sweet, and very light.

Visit the maypop before it gets gobbled up by the Gulf Fritillaries! We haven't seen any fritillaries in the arboretum yet, but they were spotted elsewhere in the Parish, presumably laying their eggs. We expect the spiky black-and-orange catepillars to eat these leaves.

Passionflower in the Arboretum

Every year, Hummingbird Central puts out a map where users can report their first sightings of migratory hummingbirds. Let's play a similar game. Have you seen any Gulf fritillaries (Agraulis vanillae) yet? At the arboretum, we're still waiting on them. This year, the arboretum has two species of passionflower for the caterpillars to enjoy. 

Yellow passionflower (Passiflora lutea) can be found throughout the arboretum. It isn't cultivated in any particular spot and volunteers freely. Sometimes we have to pull it off other plants, and sometimes we allow it to climb and twine. This time of year, its quirky little flowers are on display. In this photo, the passionflower vine is attached to a yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria).

 Also, this summer, we have something extra special. Maypop!

 

Last year we planted Maypop (Passiflora incarnata), specifically during the spring of 2024. In this post from the autumn of 2023, we made clear our intent to do just that. It grew for a short time, but the Gulf fritillary caterpillars soon devoured all of the leaves, so the vine was not given the opportunity to climb or flower. Surprisingly, the plant wasn't killed by this premature defoliation; it started growing again this spring. And it is thriving! There are plenty of leaves for the caterpillars this year. The vine is attempting to climb an old eastern red cedar trunk.

In late July, we are seeing the peculiar "spaceship" flowers, and still no sign of the Gulf fritillary caterpillars. Perhaps these vines will even produce fruit this year. If you've never had maypop fruit, you've missed out on something special! Yum!