A Garden For Zebras and Tigers!
by Jen Mihills
Whether your garden is in containers on an apartment balcony or sprawling over acres of open land, it can attract zebras and tigers. Ok, not the four-legged mammals you might be envisioning, but swallowtail butterflies.
There are more than 550 species of swallowtail butterflies around the world. Although the majority are tropical, a number of swallowtails are found throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
The eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly is a common backyard visitor and the state symbol of Delaware and North Carolina. Wild cherry, milkweed, and joe-pye weed provide nectar for adult butterflies. Caterpillars feed on the leaves of native trees including wild black cherry, ash, tulip tree, willow, sweetbay, and basswood.
