In Florida, the coontie plant serves as the main host plant for atala butterfly larvae.
The small caterpillars devour the plant and the toxin it contains, which finds its way inside them and produces the butterfly’s striking blue and orange coloration.
Historically, the plants were commonly harvested for their starch, leading to the near extinction of the atala butterfly species. Yet thanks to the ornamental plant business, the species returned and today is thriving in Florida…