May 17 2010
Host Plants of the Spicebush Swallowtail
Spicebush is one of the host plants for the Spicebush Swallowtail
The host plants of the Spicebush swallowtail are the spice bush; whose fancy Latin name is Lindera Benzoin, and the Sassafras tree, its fancy Latin name is Sassafras albidum.
The Spicebush is a large shrub often found in the woods of the Eastern half of the United States from Maine to Texas, it grows on the lower slopes of the mountains, and beside streams in thickets. It can grow as much as 20 feet tall, although 15 foot tall is average. Spicebushes have an over all rounded shape with oval shaped leaves that grow alternately along the stems. It usually grows in groups and is a relative of the laurel.In the spring, the spicebush will bloom before the leaves come out. The fruit of the spicebush is a red berry that can be found in late summer or early fall.
The Sassafras is considered a large shrub or a small tree, it can grow as much as 30 feet tall. It grows in open areas and along old fields. A sassafras can be identified by its leaves, if you crush them they smell like root beer. Some of the smooth leaves look like a right or left-handed mittens, some of the leaves are oval, and there is also a three lobed leaf that grows along side the others. These leaves are very conspicuous and make the trees easy to identify. Sassafras is also related to the laurel shrub. It blooms early in the spring as the leaves are coming out.Its fruit is an oval shaped blue berry that can be found in late summer or early fall.
These are very large plants so the average butterfly gardener may not have the room to grow them in their yard or garden. You can still have the Spicebush butterfly visit your garden by providing nectar sources for them. They are attracted to the Zinnias, butterfly bushes, and several other kinds of butterfly flowers that are easy to grow.
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