Plant native milkweed to help save monarch butterflies! As the sole host plant for monarch caterpillars, milkweed provides essential food and nectar.
Milkweed plants are more than just a wildflower—they are a lifeline for monarch butterflies, an essential part of native ecosystems, and a stunning addition to any garden.
But should you plant it? While it offers many ecological and aesthetic benefits, there are also a few things to consider before adding it to your landscape.
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are famous for their epic migration, traveling thousands of miles from North America to Mexico each year. However, their populations have dropped by over 90% in the last few decades. In fact, in 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) officially declared the migratory monarch butterfly “Endangered”.
Several factors have contributed to the monarch crisis, including:
Because monarchs rely entirely on milkweed as a host plant, the loss of milkweed means fewer places for them to lay eggs and feed their young. Without milkweed plants, monarch butterflies could face extinction.
Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) is a perennial wildflower native to North and South America. It belongs to the Apocynaceae family, which includes other well-known plants like oleander, hoya, plumeria, and the desert rose.
Unlike its fancy floral relatives, milkweed is a tough survivor. It grows along roadsides, in prairies, meadows, and even in urban gardens. With over 100 species, each adapted to different climates, you can find milkweed plants in dry deserts, wetlands, and temperate woodlands.
Popular ornamental milkweed species include:
Without milkweed, there would be no monarch butterflies! Monarch caterpillars rely exclusively on milkweed plants as their only food source. Female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed leaves, and once hatched, the tiny caterpillars munch away, growing into their iconic black, white, and yellow-striped bodies.
But here’s where it gets even cooler—milkweed isn’t just food; it’s a survival tool! Monarch caterpillars absorb toxic compounds called cardiac glycosides from the plant, making them poisonous to predators like birds. It’s their built-in chemical defense!
Milkweed supports monarchs at every stage:
Hardiness |
3 - 10 |
---|---|
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Apocynaceae |
Genus | Asclepias |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall |
Maintenance | Low |
Tolerance | Deer, Rabbit |
Attracts | Butterflies, Bees, Hummingbirds |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds And Borders |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
USFWS Midwest Region, Flickr
Hardiness |
3 - 10 |
---|---|
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Apocynaceae |
Genus | Asclepias |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall |
Maintenance | Low |
Tolerance | Deer, Rabbit |
Attracts | Butterflies, Bees, Hummingbirds |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds And Borders |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!