Milkweed, or any species of Asclepias, has been in the news and filling up social media a lot in recent years. The Monarch Butterfly uses varieties of Milkweed exclusively as their host plant.
A decrease in the Monarch population has many people concerned. It has been suggested that improved weed control among American crop growers, which increases their yield, and provides more food at lower prices for us, the consumers, has brought about a crisis in the Milkweed world.
Concerned gardeners want to mitigate the crisis, and therefore plant more milkweed in their own yards, and encourage others to do the same. Of course, that practice is not without controversy here in Florida.
Planting Milkweed is never a bad idea and you will be rewarded with Monarchs dropping by your garden.
The controversy lay in the species of milkweed that you plant. We have native milkweeds in Florida that would be a fantastic addition to your butterfly garden. Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa, Swamp Milkweeds, Asclepias incarnata and Asclepias perennis can be purchased at native plant nurseries.
The species we normally find in home improvement stores is Asclepias curassavica, or Tropical Milkweed is a source of contention among serious butterfly lovers. The problem with this non-native milkweed, is that it doesn’t freeze back and it encourages the Monarchs to stay around longer than they should, instead of continuing their journey south.
This not only subjects them to possible fatal freezes, it spreads a parasite around among the butterflies, and the next generation is adversely affected. Here are some things you can do to responsibly help your Monarch Butterfly friends:
Buy and plant native milkweed
Encourage the garden centers to sell native milkweed (VERY important) Ask the nursery if they have ever treated the butterfly plants with pesticides. If the answer is yes, choose another nursery.
Butterflies are extremely susceptible to pesticides, no matter how long ago they were applied. Do not apply pesticides to your butterfly garden.
If you have Tropical Milkweed in your yard, cut it back in September and keep it cut back until the end of April.
Caterpillars are part of a butterfly garden! They eat and eat! Your butterfly plants will come back.
Plant butterfly attracting plants in mass, so the butterflies can find them easier.
With a little bit of care, we can help our beautiful fluttering friends, and enjoy their presence as they stop by along their journey.