Don't forget kahu kowhai too! At Ngā Manu Nature Reserve they try to grow ongaonga and other nettles, for these butterflies. As someone who volunteers at the reserve, to weed and tidy up, I can attest that ongaonga really stings! But it is also remarkably difficult to keep growing. At this time of year the caterpillars have eaten it down to a skeleton.
I think the kahu kowhai is the one which turns up in my garden - I don't have any nettles but it's attracted to wall pellitory, a non-stinging relative. It's pretty cool.
I've never actually seen any of the caterpillars, which is probably because I don't usually try to get close.
Thanks Melanie, I've never seen it growing (in Northland) but read it was good to attract red admirals, so I bought some seeds not knowing the negatives, but learned it would be insane before planting so just avoided that label.
It's certainly great for butterflies, but it's not the kind of thing you'd want to plant unless you had a spot you really didn't mind staying away from.
Don't forget kahu kowhai too! At Ngā Manu Nature Reserve they try to grow ongaonga and other nettles, for these butterflies. As someone who volunteers at the reserve, to weed and tidy up, I can attest that ongaonga really stings! But it is also remarkably difficult to keep growing. At this time of year the caterpillars have eaten it down to a skeleton.
I think the kahu kowhai is the one which turns up in my garden - I don't have any nettles but it's attracted to wall pellitory, a non-stinging relative. It's pretty cool.
I've never actually seen any of the caterpillars, which is probably because I don't usually try to get close.
Thanks Melanie, I've never seen it growing (in Northland) but read it was good to attract red admirals, so I bought some seeds not knowing the negatives, but learned it would be insane before planting so just avoided that label.
It's certainly great for butterflies, but it's not the kind of thing you'd want to plant unless you had a spot you really didn't mind staying away from.
This is the only time I've read of someone's praises for stinging nettle.
But our nettles are special!