Milk Parsley Peucedanum palustre Packet of seed

Milk Parsley Peucedanum palustre  Packet of seed

The natural foodplant of the English Swallowtail butterfly, in its fenland habitat, and for Papilio machaon machaon, the nominate race in Sweden. This plant encourages egg-laying like no other, and is often the chosen foodplant of the European Papilio machaon gorganus in other parts of Europe,   

The leaves look a little like Carrot. This is a marsh plant that likes growing with its roots in water. Potted plants can be stood in a tray that is always full of water. Otherwise grow on the edge of a pond, or create a non-draining habitat around the roots.

Larvae from eggs laid on Milk Parsley can be changed to Fennel or other foodplants, in cases where there is not enough Milk Parsley to raise a host of hungry caterpillars. However, our Swedish breeder tells us that in that country, machaon does much better when fed only on Peucedanum.

Seeds sown in autumn are capable of producing plants large enough for egg-laying in the following summer.

Easily grown from seed, in a tray of peaty compost. Seed does not keep for many weeks, so don't store the seed: sow without delay.