Here is a Monarch that flew around while I was working. It looked a little ragged, but it flew around nicely. After I watered, it stopped and got a little water to drink. Always nice to see these beautiful creatures flying around. One year we had a good dozen flying around for a couple of weeks.
We'd really like to plant a lot of milkweed around the property for them in future years. The Houston area apparently is a large path on the way to/from their migration in Mexico. We wouldn't mind our farm being a stop along the way!
Not sure where you buy milkweed but I bet it's somewhere online, ha.
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| Image via wikicommons |
check with a Big local nursery in your area. Home Depot or Lowes I can't seem to find there but Lantana (also called butterfly weed)is also a good source for butterflies. I have several lantana plants planted in containers but milkweed is the only plant that the monarch's lay their eggs.
ReplyDeleteI have read that if you plant sunflowers, plant some milkweed right with the sunflowers.
Oh we love Lantana, plus it grows so well in heat and blooms Spring to Fall. Thanks for the info.
DeleteWhat a great idea! You will love doing this.
ReplyDeleteI have had butterfly milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) in my flowerbeds for many years. It is sometimes also known as tropical milkweed. I would love to have native milkweeds but I can’t find them in my local plant nurseries. You may have better luck in Houston. If you can find the native milkweeds, they would thrive out on your Farm. And the butterflies would love you for it.
The non-native butterfly weed tends to get something called OE which can harm butterflies but this can be avoided by cutting back half the plants in the garden, then, several weeks later, the other half – repeat several times a year. Then cut back to 4-6 inches in the fall. I also cut mine back after each time the caterpillars eat most of the leaves on a stalk.
These plants are very pretty in the flower garden in addition to providing nectar for the adult butterflies and host plants for the caterpillars. I love watching the caterpillars grow and transform into chrysalises and then butterflies!
When I was teaching kindergarten, I bought a caterpillar/butterfly life cycle enclosure. In the spring when the monarchs were migrating through, I’d bring several caterpillars to my classroom along with some butterfly milkweed plants and place them in the enclosure. My kindergarteners loved watching the life cycle!
Some sites with information:
https://www.chron.com/life/gardening/article/Which-butterfly-weed-species-is-native-to-Texas-1773493.php
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/TPWD-Identification-Milkweeds-Texas.pdf
https://monarchwatch.org/
https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/milkweed-plant-seed-resources/asclepias-tuberosa-butterfly-weed/
https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/is-tropical-milkweed-killing-monarch-butterflies/
Thanks for these links!! Awesome info! I didn't know there was milkweed that was unique to our area. I know a nursery in the Heights that might have that. Will check it out. How exciting for your kids to see the whole life cycle, heck I haven't seen that myself, ha. Something tells me you were one of those awesome teaches that kids loved!
DeletePlease be sure that you get the right kind of milkweed for your area. Plant and butterfly are so dependant on each other.
ReplyDeleteWe will definitely look into that, thank you for this info!! :-)
DeleteThis sure looks like a good source for milkweed seeds. They send for the area you live in.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds/
What a great link and service they provide! Thanks for this.
DeleteFree milkweed seeds. https://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds/
ReplyDeleteContributions are welcomed
Great minds think alike. This is a great source and they look like they are suited for our area.
DeleteAt the time when I was living in California near the Los Angeles Airport, we went to El Segundo Beach area, we were fortunate to time it when the Monarch's hatched at the dunes, just by chance. What a magnificent sight and experience. This was over thirty plus years, and it still makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, we've heard people who've seen part of the migration and they say it's unbelievable. I can only imagine!!
DeleteWe're under sever thunderstorms here, high winds, chance of hail, heavy rain and right now under tornado watch
ReplyDeleteI hope it all went on through. It's been a rough May.
DeleteOh nice...that's a welcome visitor! Yes!!! Get the milkweed!!! I am planting a bee and butterfly-friendly flower bed this year!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely going to look into this. And yes, bee friendly too!!
DeleteI don't think I have ever seen such a bedraggled butterfly!
ReplyDeleteLOL I thought the same thing. It was definitely a bit bedraggled. Probably flown a long way from wherever.
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