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| Malachite butterflies on Tropical Hydrangea blooms |
What’s Blooming: Tropical Hydrangea
by
Kelly Kellow, Horticulturist, Gardens on Spring Creek
When the snow comes to The Gardens, outside plants are in their winter slumber. But, in the Butterfly House you
can find plants that are in full bloom, making it a sweet, summer-like oasis.
There is one special specimen in the flight house that is
blooming just in time to chase the winter chills away. Its giant, light pink spheres hang from the
tree like shooting stars that smell like buttery cake batter – a true delight
during the cold winter months!
Dombeya x walichii (DOM-bay-ya)
or Tropical Hydrangea is in the Malvacea family and has large pendulous umbels
of light pink flowers and large bright green leaves that have short hairs,
giving them a velvety soft texture. It
is native to East Africa and Madagascar and does not handle temperatures cooler
than 30 degrees Fahrenheit, making it only suitable for tropical regions. It is perfect for our Butterfly House, with
its high humidity and steady warm temperatures – much like what you would find
in Florida or southern regions of the U.S.
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| A Swallowtail butterfly on a Tropical Hydrangea bloom Dombeya is a fast-growing tree or
shrub and can add up to 36 inches of growth a season. On average, it grows to be 25 feet tall and
20 feet wide. When Dombeya starts
flowering, butterflies will find the sweet-smelling large flowers very
attractive. The flowers have a long
bloom period and are important to the butterflies because they are rich in
nectar during months when other plants are not blooming. Some plants bloom during the summer and will
only grow vegetation during the winter.
However, other plants, like Dombeya, bloom in the winter and grow
during the summer. This is an important –
and intentional – feature for our Butterfly House so that there are natural
flower blooms all year round, in addition to the artificial nectar like rotting
fruit, sugar-water cups and sponges we provide.
Every part of the Dombeya tree has some type of
importance to the butterflies including the very large, bright green leaves that
have been a lounging favorite. You can
find them hanging upside down on the underside of the leaves or lying flat on
top – a great plant for hiding, roosting and basking in the sun! Malachite, Mexican Blue Wing, Spicebush
Swallowtail and Zebra Long Wings are some butterfly species that can be found
lounging, feeding, and roosting all hours of the day on the tree. The Tropical Hydrangea tree is delightful for
all visitors – whether walking or flying – during these cold winter months. Enjoy the Butterfly House for half off admissions through February 28! Reserve your tickets today at fcgov.com/gardens/admissions.  |