[txhurl]

I'm seeing some of the rarest, most beautiful butterflies the last few days. I 'stole' ($2) a 5ft Almond Verbena tree last year and planted it at the lake's edge, it's budding.. I was sure the catastrophic freeze we had a month ago had killed it.

The scent is dizzyingly exotic and yummy, and is a real butterfly attractor. I saw an electric blue one, then a lime green one yesterday. I love the white ones, too.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

txhurl :" I'm seeing some of the rarest, most beautiful butterflies the last few days.
I 'stole' ($2) a 5ft Almond Verbena tree last year and planted it at the lake's edge, it's budding..
I was sure the catastrophic freeze we had a month ago had killed it."

You have been Blessed, twice over: once by frost passing over, and secondly, by the butterflies.
In many states up North, crops are now grown from edge to edge; previously there was a weed line of uncultivated land, or hedge row where weeds grew and fed the butterflies.
Many states now encourage planting flowering weeds so that butterflies now have feeding stations along their migratory routes; frequently seeds are found in State 'conservation packets'.
Do what you can, as less and less farmland is available for the butterflies.

[Wneighbor]

Interesting that you mention all those butterflies. I saw more different varieties of butterflies around my yard last year than I’ve ever seen. As a little girl I ran around with a butterfly net all spring and summer so it’s not like I just now started looking. I was kinda wondering if my lemon tree attracted them and since they’re attracted to your almond verbena maybe its that scent thing too? I took several photos of new butterflies last year but most aren’t even clear enough to see. Maybe Texas is now The Butterfly Capital :)