Posted on 06/13/2009 5:54:45 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Heading out of the garden after an afternoon of taking photos, I was drawn to the intoxicating fragrance of Philadelphus delavayi, which was in full bloom. As I neared the shrub to drink in the aroma, I noticed this lovely butterfly busily feeding on the nectar from the flowers.
Ingrid Hoff, Horticulture Manager at UBC Botanical Garden and our resident insect specialist, identified it as Papilio rutulus, the western tiger swallowtail. She writes about the visitor, "This is one of the most common butterflies along the west coast, often found anywhere there is moisture. Large numbers of males can often be found "puddling" together in muddy areas or near streams. The species is found from British Columbia to Baja California east through the Rocky Mountains, but rarely beyond them. The western tiger swallowtail can have up to three broods per season.
Philadelphus delavayi has been feature on BPotD previously. Daniel Mosquin wrote this entry, which is still very much worth reading and the text accompanies a beautiful close up view of the buds and flowers.
The interpretive sign for this plant describes it very well:
"Named for the French missionary Père Jean Marie Delavay (1838-1895), who characterized much of the flora of Yunnan, Philadelphus delavayi is a variable species that is considered one of the most beautiful of all mock oranges.
Like other Philadelphus species, Delavay mock orange is an arching shrub that displays its pure white, saucer-shaped, fragrant flowers on short, lax racemes. The appeal of Philadelphus delavayi does not lie so much in its open flowers—which are admittedly large and beautiful—but in the sumptuous plum-purple calyces that back the flowers. The startling contrast of the purple calyx and white corolla is best seen before the flowers are completely open."
My ‘Golden Mock Orange’ is blooming right now, and I can hardly keep my nose out of it, LOL!
Garden Ping, if you are so inclined.
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I have a mature (20 plus years) and 4 new mock oranges. Orientation is to the Northwest of our patio, the gentle winds of spring fill our patio with the fragrance of numerous shrubs.
Josee and Ms Kim lilacs a month ago, Viburnums and now the mock orange continues on. Bayberry is coming on soon.
The downside of many hybrids, i.e. knock out roses and Lady in Red hydrangeas is that they have zero scent. The old heirlooms are “keepers.” The one advantage of the new lilacs, like Josee and Miss Kim are that they kept the fragrance but are close to the ground (6ft. max) so the fragrance is at optimum levels. The old Syringus Vulgaris often are 20 ft. tall and the fragrance is over our heads.
Thanks for posting a beautiful photo. The mock orange is a shrub I cannot live without in my gardens. And like you have shown, brings delightful butterfingers as well. Well done!
oops ...my bust ... spelling checkers are not what they are cracked up to be. I meant butterflies not butterfingers. But alas ... this fatboy loves a good, fresh butterfinger as well. Yum .. and gaining 5 lbs thinking about one.
If anyone has photos of hummingbirds in their garden please post them
What a beatiful picture.
Thanks so much.
HA....I have a picture almost exactly like this....but, it’s not on a flowering shrub....and I took the photo about 8 years ago in British Columbia! Thanks for posting...now I know what kind of butterfly it was....maybe I’ll post my picture.
We have a hummer nest and Mr G has some really great pictures, including some new babies today!
Unfortunately, I don’t have a clue as to posting pictures. If someone can tell me, I will, otherwise I will email them.
Thanks! That was a lovely picture.
Sent you freep mail
Hansa is an old "Grandma" rose with old rose scent and resistant to about anything out there except Japanese beetles. The fragrence never quits, heat, cool day and night, it's always blooming and always fragrant. It's a haystack rose and pretty rough looking but it's the real thing.
Topaz Jewel is a newer yellow rugosa, I haven't seen what this can do yet but it's fragrance has me impressed. In the mornings it has a honeysuckle like fragrance that I can detect from 25 fet away which mellows to a more common rosey smell as the day wears on.
I had the dreaded "rose rosette" in my stand of Meidiland groundcovers and had to remove the whole stand, now I see it in my "Rainbow" Knockouts. I hope it doesn't spread to any more. I totally removed the affected roses and had them incinerated but there is no preventative for this.
I replaced the Meidiland's with "Nearly Wild", this is an awesome grower and it has huge pink singles and is taking over my bank, Google them.
Philadelphus? Must smell like a dumpster in July...
I sell a ton of Miss Kim lilacs at the garden center. I can hardly keep them in stock some weeks. A terrific shrub.
One of my favorite shrubs, though it’s not scented, is my ‘Grace’ Smokebush. She’s just about ready to bloom and she’s a stunner when she’s blooming!
http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/66.jpg
Gorgeous! My Peach trees (Reliance) have Peach Leaf Curl, and I didn’t get the spray on them when I should have this early spring when they were still dormant.
I might have ONE peach this season and I’m not sharin’, LOL!
The cherry trees and plum trees are absolutely loaded with fruit this season, though. It’s amazing what they can produce on years when we squeak by without a late frost when everyone is in bloom. ;)
I love ‘Hansa.’ I had one years ago, but the many, mnay trees we planted 15 years ago ended up shading it out. I have a spot, facing south, along my Pole Barn that NEEDS to be filled with them.
Thanks for the reminder! :)
Ah, those crazy Greeks and their words, LOL!
Thanks for your suggestions of “Hansa” and “Topaz Jewel” I have “Hansa” and now will be on the lookout for the other.
I’m finding knockouts are not as trouble free as one is led to believe. And once knockouts get diseased ...the only thing to do is prune and incinerate, hoping basal pruning is not the last resort. However, I’ll sacrifice a bush in a heartbeat if itsaves the others.
We lived in DFW area for 15 years. Roses were easy to grow with few problems. Note: Tyler, Tx is the rose capital of the U.S., a perfect growing climate. SW Ohio we battle heavy morning dews, high humidity and sometimes cooler temps with little breeze. I eliminate most problems by “pruning heavily” and opening roses up for good air circulation. That and Orthene is my friend. A weekly necessity, even with knockouts.
I’ll check out “Nearly Wild” as well. I’m always looking for a good ground cover.
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