Milkweed is the only plant that a monarch caterpillar can eat. I will be posting milkweed information here.
Ba Rea
Ba Rea, exploring the nature world.
Milkweed is the only plant that a monarch caterpillar can eat. I will be posting milkweed information here.
Ba Rea, exploring the nature world.
Monarchchaser's Blog 
THE ASCELPIA CURASAVICCA … PHYSOCARPA..AND OTHER ASCLEPIAS ARE THE FOOD… THE ONLY FOOD FOR THE BABY CATERPILARS OF THE MONARCHA BUTTERFLY….. PLEASE SEE… http://www.givrayfotomonarca.com SORRY…ONLY IN SPANISH
I live outside of Lewisburg. Ordered your book Milkweed, Monarchs and More this summer as I was getting very interested in milkweed plants and pollinators in general. I only last week realized the book was published in Union, WV!! What a great website and what fantastic work you do. But I am trying to find information on sowing milkweed seeds. I have been collecting seeds this year from Common, Blunt-leafed and Butterfly Weed I’ve found growing in and around my place down near the Greenbrier River. Don’t know the best way to help this plant to spread: plant now or in the spring. Any suggestions, sources of info, etc? Any help would be appreciated.
Glad you are enjoying Milkweed, Monarchs and More and always happy to hear from someone encouraging milkweed. I am excited that you found A. amplexicaulis (blunt leaf milkweed) here. I haven’t seen it in this area. Be aware that your seeds will need to go through stratification…getting cold. If you plant them now the winter will take care of that. If you plan to plant them in the spring, you’ll need to make sure they get stratified in storage. I have most experience growing common milkweed. It is a first succession milkweed, it likes disturbed ground. It grows rhizomes that spread and send up ramets (individual stems) creating large clones. Seedlings are often small the first couple of years while the plant is working on establishing a good underground root. Butterfly weed has a tuberous root and stays put better than common milkweed. Here’s Monarch Watch’s milkweed propagation page http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/prop.htm with lots of good information. Let me know how it goes!