Types of milkweed to support monarch butterflies
It ’s proficient to grow a silkweed that is aboriginal to your area so monarch butterflies that visit find oneself the home ground to which they are habituate . you could farm other species , but the natives are fit to your region . Most milkweeds develop well in full Dominicus , but they will tolerate some shade . With the exclusion of swamp milkweed , which prefers dampish , rich land , milkweed mintage will flourish in short , dry grime and disturb sphere , field , and ditches . Also keep in mind that milkweed plants have some toxicity — so keep them out of places where stock may graze and do n’t let pets or children chew on them . Watch the video below to hear more about the of import human relationship between silkweed and monarch caterpillar and butterfly .
Milkweed is the vital host plant for monarch caterpillars
Though adultmonarch butterflies sip nectar from many flowers , monarch butterfly caterpillar feed exclusively on milkweed industrial plant , specifically those in the genusAsclepias . Monarch butterflies lie their eggs on milkweed plant life so their larvae , or caterpillar , have an instant solid food source once the eggs cover . Chemicals in the milkweed are take in by the Caterpillar which are toxic to other animals , helping protect them from predators . Caterpillar and adult butterflies are also brightly colored , a natural word of advice that this insect is toxic .
Where to buy native milkweed seeds & plants
TheXerces Societycan help you chance a semen source in your orbit . Visittheir Milkweed Seed Finder herefor more information .
How to keep milkweed from taking over your garden
Many hoi polloi look at milkweed a locoweed , but go forward and plant those pretty “ sens . ” The monarchs will thank you . However , if you are distressed about these plants propagate too much or your neighbour complain , there are a few things you may do :
Since milkweed multiply through underground rootstalk and by seed , keep a small milkweed clump contained by sinking 12- to 18 - inch credit card or metal edging into the terra firma around the plant . Or periodicallyspade into the groundaround the base of the plants and remove any meandering rootstock from the grease .
You ’ll also require to cut green seed pods off so they ca n’t develop seed . It wo n’t bother the sovereign — they flow on leaves and stems as caterpillars and nectar as adults , so they wo n’t even notice the pods are gone !
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Find the right type of milkweed to grow in your region
Here is a tilt of 8 native milkweeds and regions they are set up across the contiguous United States and Canada . Find your region on this map , then look for one or more that you could turn in your arena . For more regional entropy about milkweed , claver the Xerces Society website .
Common Sonchus oleraceus ( Asclepias syriaca )
TypePerennialBloomsFragrant pink flower bunch in June through AugustLightFull sunSoilMoist , well - drainedSize2 to 4 ft . tall , 1 ft . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA geographical zone 3 to 9
Native regionsNE , SE , SK , MB , ON , QC
butterfly stroke mourning band ( Asclepias tuberosa )
TypePerennialBloomsBright orange blossom clump bloom June to September on top of rough , thin textured leaves ; a yellow cultivar is availableLight : Full sun ; drouth tolerantSize:1 to 3 ft . tall , 1 to 2 foot . wideHardinessCold stout in USDA zones 3 to 9
Native regions : NE , SC , SE
Antelope - horns milkweed ( Asclepias asperula )
TypePerennialBlooms : greenish - yellow flowers tinged with maroon give way to seed pods that curve to resemble antelope horns from March to OctoberLightFull sunSoilDry , sandy soilSize1 to 2 ft . tall , 2 to 3 ft . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 10
Native regions : CA , SC
Showy milkweed ( Asclepias speciosa )
TypePerennialBloomsPink flowers at the top of the stem and in leaf axil bloom from May to SeptemberLightFull sunSoilMoist , well - drained soilSize2 to 4 foot . tall , 1 to 2 ft . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9
Native regionsCA , W , SC , BC , AB , SK
Green milkweed ( Asclepias viridis )
TypePerennialBloomsWhite to green prime clusters bloom May to AugustLightFull sunSoilMoist to dry soilSize18 to 24 in . magniloquent , 12 to 24 in . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9
Native regionsSC , SE
Whorled milkweed ( Asclepias verticillata )
TypePerennialBloomsWhite flower clustering atop stems of whorled , narrow leaves blossom May to SeptemberLightFull sun to part shadeSoilDry soilSize1 to 3 ft . tall , 1 to 2 ft . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9
Native regionsNE , SE , SK , ON , MB
swampland milkweed ( Asclepias incarnata )
TypePerennialBloomsDeep , roseate - pink flowers bloom June to October on narrow - leave , branch stemsLightFull sun to part shadeSoilMoist to wet soilSize3 to 5 ft . tall , 2 to 3 foot . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zone 3 to 6
Native regionsNE , SC , W , MB , ON , QC
California milkweed ( Asclepias californica )
TypePerennialBloomsPurple flowers bloom May to July on whitened , woolly foliageLightFull sunSoilDry soilSize3 to 4 ft . marvelous , 1 to 5 ft . wideHardinessCold brave in USDA geographical zone 7 to 9
aboriginal RegionsCA
