Call ahead to confirm species, quantity and verify plants have not been in contact with neonicotinoids or pesticides. Per Plant - 2.5" Pot. Should a monarch hatched in a cage be released on a sunny 90 degree day if thunderstorms are predicted for the next day at 4PM? You might try a couple different varieties to see which you prefer in yoursgood luck! You definitely dont need full sun to grow milkweed. The SDPA aims to increase native pollinator habitat and awareness about pollinator-friendly practices throughout San Diego County through outreach, education, and on-the-ground programs.. // ]]> Transplanting Milkweed with Taproots is Not an Impossible Dream. Some milkweeds are beneficial for butterflies. California milkweed grows in lower northern California, central and southern California as well as into northern Baja California. If you planted swamp milkweed, that species doesnt have rhizomes but will still spread through seeding. Per Plant - 5" Deep Pot. New growth and everything. San Carlos Hardware 7375 Jackson Dr, San Diego, Ph: (619) 461-9700 San Gabriel Nursery 632 S. San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel CA, Ph: (626) 286-3782 Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 1212 Mission Canyon Rd, Santa Barbara, Ph: (805) 682-4726 x127. The Western monarchs . She is a SoCal native who spent more than 20 years in Central Washington as a daily reporter, columnist, freelancer and mom before returning to the land of eucalyptus and sage. She SWORE over and over that they bought only from growers that did not spray. This year, down to less than 2,000 monarchs overwintering. Some of the big box stores may even think their milkweed supply is clean, but when someone else is doing the growing you can never be 100% sure. Are Native Only Wildlife Gardens Starving Fall Pollinators. If you have any seeds that youre able to share, please message me. Shipping internationally means your milkweed goes through customs, and theres no guarantees for when your milkweed will arrive or what shape it will be in. Hi Rina, sorry to hear this. Here is my question, I havent seen a monarch in years! The new wave in landscaping is building habitat by growing native plants, but you dont need a yard to promote biodiversity. When things get unbalanced in the natural world, the solutions are often more complicated than we have time or the inclination to process, and theyre fluid. What plants should I have in my garden for the butterflies in the spring? Can they survive on their own? Armstrong Garden center (at least my local one in Westchester/LA 90045) carries carries A. fascicularis in 4 pots (at least they had it in July 2022). yes, cuttings for tropical milkweed are a great optionjust remember to wash/disinfect the cuttings. What milkweed varieties do you recommend ? Because GoogleDrive changed its permissions & sharing, Ive had to post these on a private site. The sanctuary is right by the beach (it doesnt freeze near the ocean) and the Monarchs hang in long clusters in the eucalyptus trees to stay warm. Brian from Newport News, Virginia here. BTW- not sure where you are located, but most milkweed varieties wont be blooming in May unless you are offering non-native tropical. Ive just started to really get bluebirds back and hummingbirds. There is one study from UC Davis in 2015 that looked at this question and concluded that southern California monarchs may contribute up to 30%: Monarchs Wings Yield Clues to Their Birthplaces | UC Davis: Of the 114 overwintering butterflies sampled, they found that 30 percent developed in Californias southern coastal range, 12 percent in the northern coast and inland range, 16 percent in the central range, and 40 percent in the northern inland range Across all four overwintering sites, they found butterflies from a wide range of locations, although most were from the southern coast of California and the more distant northern inland U.S. By Kathy Keatley Garvey on January 26, 2016 inEnvironment). It all started with an accidental visit to a City of Santa Monica building near Santa Monica airport. Hi Sue, when you consider only 1%-5% survive outdoors, you will help by raising a few indoors even if there are a few bumps along the waythats how we all learn better raising techniques. They had planted milkweed outside the building, 18+ plants by my count, and there were TONS of monarch larvae, with lines of chrysalises along the buildings siding. Pollinator Health | Resource Conservation District (rcdsandiego.org), https://rcdsandiego.org/programs/pollinator-health. June 12, 2022 They are 6 Native Milkweed Plants in California. This is why they tend to cluster on certain trees in mild coastal areas, looking for spots that shelter them from wind, rain and predators while still providing enough warmth in the day so they can fly to find food.). I have just bought seeds for creating a butterfly garden, 5 different milkweed, perennial and annual and a large assortment of nectar seeds. Native Milkweed by State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio All our April crop is already reserved out were talking hundreds of plants and were already taking reservations for our May crop, said Su Kraus, founder and advisor to Moosa Creek Nursery, a wholesale grower of California native plants in Valley Center near San Diego. 2.5" POT 3 Plant (s) Out of Stock Ships in Fall. But the adult monarchs need nectar plants. Ships Spring 2023. Monarch butterfly populations are endangered, to the point that the 1.2 million Western monarchs counted in 1997 plummeted to fewer than 2,000 by 2020. Is this true? Thanks Posted on 19 June 2020 by Suzanne. Photo: Erin Harlow, UF/IFAS. and they looked great at the time! and 2) Since it doesnt die out, it also encourages diseases to linger and spread when they would have died and disappeared . Here are 8 Tips to help your milkweed transplants not only survivebut thrive! I am new at this and purchased my most recent milkweed from a big box store when I needed more plants. This past Thanksgiving, Nov 2020, had the unfortunate result of less than 2,000 monarchs observed overwintering in the normal roosting (overwintering) sites that have been used by monarchs for thousands of years. Want a July 4 campsite at Big Sur, Leo Carrillo or Crystal Cove? Built in 2015, it is now a permanent feature within the Fairs Infield Farm. I know it's officially spring and we're all pounding on nursery doors, anxious to plant some California native milkweed to help the endangered Western monarch butterfly stay afloat since, yesknow it's officially spring and we're all pounding on nursery doors, anxious to plant some California native milkweed to its not normal for the weather to freeze like this and i have never seen caterpillars this late in the year but i would like to save them. It was obvious they were in extreme pain. Keep in mind that it is the overwintering monarchs that wake up in late February and populate the 7 states in the western monarch range. [a note about downloads: they are FREE to you. The good news is that gardeners should also be planting lots of nectar-producing native plants as well, to attract and sustain the monarch adults. For our area: pink & white flowers = GOODyellow & orange flowers = bad. A general rule of thumb is to avoid vendors with less than 97% positive reviews. Please refer to the milkweed resources page to see if other milkweed plants are available. The problem with non-natives is that you simply can not predict when theyll escape and displace native plant communities, or how they will effect the overall ecology of your area. Back To Natives Nursery (Santa Ana) I told them that it was impossible, because my cats were all fine, but 20 minutes after I put their milkweed in the cage, they were all nearly dead. But there are several online vendors who sell many varieties of milkweed. Since that disastrous count, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has issued a call to action, outlining ways the public can help. People focus on milkweed because it is the larval food plant the plant where the monarchs lay their eggs, the plant the baby caterpillars eat as they grow and prepare to go into their chrysalis. Anyone have this rarer variety or know someone who really has it? As many of you already know, with the introduction of tropical milkweed over the last ten years, monarchs can be found in small numbers in southern California year-round. Janelle. These vendors are likelier to know more about handling milkweed seeds/plants and packaging them for delivery. I purchased some Milkweed and have to contact the provider to see if any pesticides are on them. Visit the Resource Conservation District of San Diego website for more information on plants available for purchase by San Diego residents. I live in Virginia. Native milkweeds especially narrow-leaf milkweed, the most prominent variety in California are just now emerging from dormancy, a normal, natural thing that wont be hurried no matter how we plead, said Patty Roess, manager of the retail portion of the Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano, one of Southern Californias premier growers of native plants. Returned them all. Much has happened with our Western Monarch population this year that is critical for every monarch lover to know about. These are the the milkweed plants commonly found in Hawaii: I live in Houston and there are 2 nurseries that are somewhat nearby that are supposed to sell only native and pesticide free plants. Thanks for any help on this. Seeds harvested within the past couple years should have higher germination rates. Generally, swamp milkweed and tropical milkweed are the easiest plants to find online, and theyre usually available from April through October. San Francisco 94124. These 50-plus hikes capture all that L.A. and Southern California has to offer. Read More 8 Tips to (Successfully) Transplant Milkweedwith Taproots!Continue, Learn How to Spot the Differences between Male and Female Monarch Butterflies, and even their Chrysalides, Read More Female or Male Monarch Butterfly?Continue. I have gotten one plant so far as it is very hard to sprout so the main milkweed for my cats is my tropical milkweed. All this demand is good news, right? Personally, I would focus on establishing the garden first because the big mistake many make at the start is not having enough milkweed to support the caterpillars. Every Thanksgiving, a count of overwintering monarchs in multiple overwintering sites along the California central coast is taken. Green Thumb Nursery (Lake Forest), Riverside County: It is an imperative, however, that everyone prune tropical milkweed by mid-October to promote migration and kill off the O.e. Also unknown to researchers is where southern California monarchs come from in the spring and where they go in the fall. There are several California native milkweeds, which are the ones we should be planting. If you want to participate in helping to reverse the dramatic decline of Monarch Butterflies you should be planting Milkweed, like right now! parasite prevalence and deters migration behavior, both of deep concern to many monarch researchers and NGOs including Xerces and Monarch Joint Venture. In this video, both species are presented as they engage in "mud-puddling" to imbibe nutrients from the moist sand along a stream in Thailand. We have Monarch Butterflies here but have been unsucessful in finding a source for the plants. I would stick to ordering milkweed from your own country if there are viable options. So if youre worried about bedraggled-looking milkweed in your yard, surround those plants with beautiful flowering native shrubs and perennials, such as buckwheats, salvias, sunflowers and yarrow. And because of the heavy demand this year and lots of pre-orders, nursery managers are warning that it might be May or even early summer before theyll have more native milkweed in stock. It ate for a few days and then began metamorphosis. Sometimes (on eBay, Etsy, or Amazon) you can get lucky and find a gardener offering a rare gem at a discountprice! I rotate the 1 gallon plants in my large butterfly cage, so I finally have a large back up supply. Which Annual Butterfly Plants Are Worth Overwintering? Not for L.A., but if youre in San Diego, try planting this one. $22.97. Hi Mary Lou, Im not sure theres a best way to start milkweedwhatever works! Hi Bett, sorry to hear this happened to you. However, she is sold.out for this season , Hi Barbara, unfortunately this is not the best time of the year to find milkweed plants. If you cant find this info, email them for confirmation that their plants have been grown 100% pesticide free. In order to keep many species in the Milkweed Market available, we rely on local seed collections from across the country. Xerces Society researchers believe this evergreen milkweed confuses normal monarch migration and allows harmful microscopic parasites Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, or OE to multiply on the plants. Our plants have had some monarch-attracting success with morning sun, and afternoon shade: Ive personally never had a problem with asclepias tuberosa. Hi Sharon, we dont have a greenhouse, so we mainly start non-native milkweeds indoors that need an extended growing season to mature and seed. Check out my milkweed resources page, which lists 25 milkweed species along with their native and perennial regions. They can also detect milkweed, their larval host plant, from miles away based on the . moosecreeknursery.com, Rogers Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, rogersgardens.com, The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden nursery, 1212 Mission Canyon Road in Santa Barbara, sbbg.org, Theodore Payne Foundation nursery, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley, theodorepayne.org, Tree of Life Nursery, 33201 Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano, californianativeplants.com. Where to buyThe following Southern California nurseries specialize in native plants and expect to have at least narrow-leaf milkweed available by mid-April. See additional resource at bottom of this post. Five of them are also native to other parts of the Western US. Legacy of Hope The Xerces Society's Milkweed Seed Finder and Monarch Watch Milkweed Marke t provide a directory of vendors that distribute native milkweed seeds and/or plugs. The question was asked, How much of the overwintering population comes from southern California monarchs? It is native to California and northern Baja California from the East Bay region southward and the foothills of the Sierras. NO, DONT PLANT THESE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Two milkweed varieties we successfully grow in partial shade are swamp and tropical. It may mean a reliance on tropical milkweed for a resident population to exist and an increase in the O.e. sustainable living and creating positive change. Monarch Butterfly Citizen Scientist. You are doing the right thing by getting your own patches established. Her present goal is to transform her yard into an oasis of native plants, fruit trees and veggies. Since Ive followed this checklist for where to buy milkweed online, weve added hard to find milkweed plants and our garden has flourished and attracted more monarchs and pollinators than I ever thought possible. It grows best in full sun to part shade and is a low to moderate water user. In fact, one of the regions largest nurseries, Rogers Gardens in Corona del Mar stopped selling tropical milkweed completely a couple of years ago. The liatris plants (not milkweed) arrived in shambles. Linda Auld is known around New Orleans for two things: bugs and butterflies. Swamp Milkweed, known as bagizowin by the Anishinaabe, is a common species in Ontario, usually found in wetlands, wet roadsides, floodplains and wet meadows. Fish and Wildlife Service lists as threatened two milkweed species native to the US. It is an important monarch butterfly caterpillar host plant. For more info about where to buy milkweed online by scrolling through the comments below. 25+ Milkweed Options for your Butterfly Garden. Milkweed Plants and Seeds. As stated on the RCD San Diego website: Dont create a Milkweed Monoculture that only attracts monarchs for part of the season! What do I do now? It can be found in upland fields, woodland margins and disturbed areas such as roadsides (Wilburg, 1979). Despite its affinity for moist areas, it is fairly drought tolerant once established in a garden setting. No problem. Thanks so much~. Native to California Hardy perennial 12" - 24" tall Blooms from April until May Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 - 11 Growing Instructions: Start California Milkweed seeds outdoors in late November. Youre not growing this for prize-winning flowers, Straka says. For future reference, these are some online stores we recommend: Hi, It has deep purple flowers and almost white gray fuzzy foliage. It has provided a benchmark for how well the western monarchs are doing. Once, someone thought it would be nice to have the (European) birds Shakespeare mentioned in some East Coast park. Regardless, home gardeners are highly encouraged by all researchers to plant native milkweed and native nectar plants. Ill send a stamped envelope right away. It's the only plant monarch caterpillars eat. SoCal Milkweed specializes in growing pesticide free California native narrowleaf . Thanks. Read More 21 Tips for Starting (or Improving) your School Butterfly GardenContinue, Read More Monarch Butterfly Picture w/ Inspirational Quote about BeautyContinue, Raise The Migration: Share Your Successes, Failures, and Lessons Learned for Raising Monarchs in 2019, Read More Raising Hope for the 2018 Monarch Migration- Raise The Migration 6 ResultsContinue, These 7 simple fall gardening tips can help you end the butterfly garden season better prepared to host a bounty of butterflies and pollinators next spring, Read More 7 Easy Fall Gardening Tips for your Butterfly GardenContinue. You might be lucky enough to stumble intoa milkweed forestat a big box store, but are you sure those plants havent been treated with monarch-killing pesticides? Milkweed is vital for the monarch's life cycle. There are plenty of vendors to choose from so you can and should be picky about who you buy from. You can collect your own seed or purchase seed or plants to add to your garden, or any landscape in your community. Like other drought tolerant milkweeds, the stems and leaves are covered with a thick covering of long hairs giving the plant a woolly appearance. the SDPA is working to establish a San Diego seed source of native milkweed that can be used in pollinator habitat projects of all scales from the home garden to restoration projects. A lot of people started complaining about what happened to me on Facebook, and they finally said they were pulling their milkweed from the shelves. ft. She was. Your garden aesthetic is accentuated by the brilliant Monarch butterflies that milkweed attracts, and you do right by these beneficial pollinators, providing the one. You inspire me to be the best butterfly gardener I can possibly be! Hi Tony, They will still need to overwinter whether or not they flew here from the Rockies or had their generations of butterflies here locally. Hi Katie, gardening is a whole different experience in continuous growing regions. California Milkweed. But NOT in coastal areasThe Xerces Society now warns against planting any milkweed in SoCals coastal areas because even native milkweeds stay green during the mild winters, allowing parasites to multiply. We shouldnt plant it in Southern California. But I am not going to do a lot of maintenance. Dont be that person. Climbing milkweed is an evergreen vine with subtly colored but attractive flowers that can be showy en masse. The Sunshine State is home to more than twenty species of milkweed, almost all of which are native. Jeanette Marantos started writing for the Los Angeles Times in 1999, doing Money Makeovers until 2002. When I got started with my monarch garden I was buying plants regularly. During end of season October thru November, some sightings were reported. I would send you showy milkweed seeds harvested from last year if you send me a stamped addressed envelope. We do have individual plant pages for many varieties so be sure to search the site: I really appreciate all the info on your website! I am in dire need of milkweed plants. Have you tried locating calotropis plants that are common to your region and taking stem cuttings for rooting instead? It is native to southern California, Arizona, and northern Baja California, where it is most abundant in the desert regions. Native songbirds, however, are still paying the price. There are affiliate links across this site that go to products I know and love, or are suggestions from trusted third-party sources. Good luck! Walter Anderson Nursery (Poway & Point Loma) Because of the demand, you may have to make an advance order at these locations or with your local nursery (lobby them hard if they dont already sell native milkweed). Every plant Ive ever had has been eaten to the ground. My husband cut them back and they are doing great. Very cool. As of Mar 15 here in Phoenix theyve only been in water a week and are already beginning to sprout tiny roots. Since most of thiswebsite audienceisin the US,my suggestion is to buy seeds/plants fromU.S. sellers. Monarchs born in summer and late fall will migrate south to overwinter in central Mexico or . If that means you get a short season, well.. thats OK. Youll be supporting the flitters natural life-cycles and migration. Good Luck and May the Monarchs be with you young Jedi Knight. Sadly, habitats that naturally support monarchs are becoming fewer in number each year. Theyre going to eat this thing to the stems, but thats OK because its a food source.. Kevin also highlights desert species that can be planted throughout the summer and add summer color to your garden! The nursery only sells native milkweed now and will once again offer its milkweed exchange program sometime in April, giving customers one free narrow-leaf milkweed plant in exchange for a tropical milkweed plant theyve pulled from their yard, says General Manager Ron Vanderhoff. Hi Dorothy, starting a new monarch butterfly gardenhow exciting! Bay Natives. Hi Gary, I know there are USDA restrictions for shipping to Hawaii. It sounds like you found some good resources going forward, so thats great news! Now in a new home, the monarchs are around and I wish to buy plants for the area of Los Angeles near the beach. Buy plants or plugs to geta huge head start on the returning spring monarchs, and receiveplants that should flower and seed their first season. Thank you, Tony, for your infectious passion for monarchs. Habitat Milkweed grows in fields, along roadsides, and generally in dryer locations. Consider English sparrows and starlings, which have been a disaster to native song birds. Plant native milkweed. This milkweed is a perennial herb with erect yellow-green stems and foliage in shades of pale whitish-green to dark green with white veining. (The kits are too heavy to ship, says director Evan Meyer, so they are only available at the store.). Tropical milkweed remains readily available at Home Depot, Lowes, Armstrong Gardens, and other nurseries throughout southern California and does increase the population's O.e. The groups have embarked on an effort to add 30,000 milkweed plants across the state to provide the butterflies with places to breed and acquire the sustenance for migration. Even if you purchase elsewhere, its a good source for exploringall your milkweed options. Showy Milkweed . I need some seeds but will these do well in Michigan?I have a huge perennial garden with lots of plants that attract butterfly but I take it its not a source of food. Milkweed flowers and leaves are loved by pollinators, especially monarch butterflies. Have a great season! Almost always, more milkweed plants means more Monarch butterflies. South and West Texas are home to numerous milkweed species but their use by monarchs is not well documented. However it is at such a decline that the rangers at the sanctuary ARE encouraging anyone to plant tropical milkweed locally in their gardens, they are selling seeds for it and have it growing in their butterfly garden by the ranger station. Matilija Nursery (Moorpark), De-Stress for Success Also, be sure the seller you are purchasing from is growing their butterfly plants organically. Hello Janelle, I discuss those issues in this post: Tony All of these seem to have pink, pinkish, or white flowers. Am totally new at this but quite interested and dont know where to start, I live in Alabama and wonder if I should buy ones that will thrive here and conditions for growing them. Like International Garden Center, Armstrong also offers the inappropriate tropical, so look out for what you are purchasing. Four years ago, only 150,000. The following 7 tips are my checklist for deciding where to buy milkweed online. California milkweed seed packet, Asclepias californica View Details Green Thumb Nursery (San Marcos) My question is: Is transplanting plants or sowing seed the best way to start milkweed? Give the seeds to friends, guerrilla garden them, or package them up and drop them in Little Free Libraries around your local area! Consider milkweed for instance, the sole food for monarch caterpillars. We also have 2 butterfly bushes out back that have become trees. I am currently trying this calotropis procera and will be reporting on the process/results if the success is an experiment. You might also consult with a local resource with first hand growing experience in your region. That way you are helping to increase the number of milkweeds in Southern California and getting the right kind of plants out there to welcome the butterflies. Bottomline, nature adjusts to things usually (not always though) but if the system is working then it is a good system like our tropical milkweeds and eucalyptus, both are non-native but now they have made the Central coast of California their home and the Monarchs come here still every year. I cut a few stalks and placed them in the cage with my cats. Hi Alan, sorry to hear this. There are several Regional Conservation Districts (RCD) in southern California working to protect pollinators and restore habitat, engage, and educate the public, and provide native milkweed seeds and seedlings. Showy Pink Milkweed Asclepias speciosa. If you can't find plants now, check back weekly to see new listings at the bottom of these milkweed plant pages: Asclepias Incarnata Plants (Swamp Milkweed) Ascelpias Curassavica Plants (Tropical Milkweed) Start with 2-3 varieties that are native to your region,because the native varieties should come back reliably every season. Not smooth hosting, I know. I use organic fish fertilizer on my milkweed, 5,000 sq. Hahamongna Native Plant Nursery 4550 Oak Grove Drive in Pasadena Visit Website Moosa Creek Nursery Valley Center, near San Diego Wholesale grower not open to the public but does take special orders online delivered to a partner retailer. I would call them to see if they have any suggestionsgood luck! Milkweed leaves are opposite, large, ranging from 10 to 18 cm long, oval shaped, covered with fine soft hairs, and they are prominently veined. These caterpillars hatch from eggs laid on the plant before consuming its leaves. Some home gardeners were reporting no monarchs in their gardens at all after the heat bomb and then the California fires. A great many home gardeners intentionally attract monarch butterflies, enjoying our naturally long monarch season late March thru October. I grew tropical milkweed last year for the first time ever and had Monarchs show up right away (I live about two miles inland from the sanctuary) They loved the tropical milkweed. I have a large property in PA. (at least they had it in July 2022) In July 2022, they also had A. speciosa which is for Northern California, as well as the evil tropical kind, so be careful what you buy avoid those tell-tale yellow/orange flowers! Hi Tony, WARNING!!! Other debates include whether to have milkweed growing here in Santa Cruz at all, because then the theory is, that the Monarchs wont migrate, I think most of them do, but some stay here, and is that really a bad thing? The Orioles use the dead stems for nests the next spring. Herbicides and weed eradication programs around roads and farmlands have decimated much of the wild milkweed in California. I ordered some that were confiscated en route. Monarch caterpillar eating it's egg. Growing Information: USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8; Life Cycle: Perennial; Approximate Mature Size: 1.5 to 3 feet; occasionally up to 6 feet; Bloom Time: May to September . https://youtu.be/8nYoVBA-d9Q. Hi Mary, I prefer fall planting plants in our northern region, but it is getting on the late sideif you try this, I would plant ASAP to give roots time to acclimate before the ground freezes. Asclepias eriocarpa creamy-white flowers and broad leaves. I have hundreds of plants (plus I harvest the seeds when the pods open) and havent spent money on milkweed in almost 2 years! Otherwise the seeds take too long to germinate sometimes. This year I have been raising the Monarchs indoors and so far I have had eight successful releases, (three I lost due to mistakes I made, then I bought Tonys book and have learned so much!). They came from China and didnt have the proper paperwork! Thanks so much! It isn't natural for the region to have evergreen milkweeds. Hope this helps. It wont last inside will it? Learn More. Could I get the seeds now, do the refrigeration period and then into the ground? I would suggest seeking out new local nurseries and online resources to start the season with fresh plantsgood luck! Starting at $3.75 USD. The SDPA hosts a thriving demonstration pollinator habitat at the San Diego County Fair called the Pollinator Pathway. These beautiful butterflies rely on milkweed to lay their eggs upon. Retail and mail order nursery with a large section dedicated to native plants. Kevin Alison details California desert plants and how they are used in the garden. I would like to buy online but most of the vendors sell seeds. Planting local milkweed species is always best. Artemisia Nursery, 5068 Valley Blvd. Local native milkweed was not widely available before we started this project. Do you recommend planting a Butterfly Bush? We want to act, do something to help, and we usually grab for the simplest solutions, not realizing that sometimes were just making things worse. You can find a list and photos of the native milkweeds that grow best in your region on the Xerces Society website. Thanks for your advice. Today, those replacement plants have seen some of the most spectacular butterfly activity in our garden, and I would not hesitate to buy from them again because of how they handled the situation. In Central Florida, Lowes and Home Depot Milkweed is NOT PESTACIDE FREE!!!! Read More . However, not just any kind of milkweed will do. You could also harvest seeds from bursting pods. Hi Evelyn, sorry to hear about your poor cats. If youre in New Zealand, I would recommend getting milkweed stock there, Its much simpler to purchase from your country,especially if theres an issue and you need new plants or seeds. Monarch Butterfly Citizen Scientist. We lost over 70 caterpillars because of these poisoned plants. This is my third year growing milkweed, and im trying to fill my yard with plenty of monarch chow Tropical Milkweed acts as a perennial in our area, it doesnt go dormant. It takes time and effort to grow milkweed from seeds. Many of us are familiar with tall Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) with its sweet . Thank you for your support. These commissions help support me and my company (Monarch Butterfly Garden LLC) in maintaining this site. If possible, talk to others with first hand growing experience in your region to see what works best for themalso research the specific species before you plant it. California Native Grass Mix. I called the manager of the nursery and told her what happened. and everyone seems OK with that. (Ross May / Los Angeles Times; Getty Images). My question to you is: do I completely bury the root, or do I leave some of it above ground? Butterfly Milkweed Plants (Asclepias tuberosa) Rated 5.00 out of 5. I have planted some milkweed for the first time this year. Here are ways we can help them survive. Dr. Francis Villablanca who manages tagging of western monarchs said that only one monarch tagged from southern California has ever been found at central coast overwintering sites. Buy local when possible, then look for hard-to-find options onlineto take your garden to the next level. (xerces.org), MORE sources for Native Milkweed and nectar plants in southern California include: https://amzn.to/3fQI7Pq. Butterfly weed ( Asclepias tuberosa) is a perennial native with orange or yellow flowers that appear in late summer and early fall. If your garden is established and youre still not seeing any, check out these vendors on the tools/supplies list: I live in Southern CA. Not all milkweed is the same. My friend in Santa Monica grows lovely native milkweed plants in containers that are perhaps 24 diameter x 24 high. I have learned through hard experience to avoid chain Nurseries for milkweedall of my cats died after they swore the plants were not sprayed. I.m in South Florida. Sale! International Garden Center (El Segundo), De-Stress for Success Learn More. However its natural range is in Central and Northern California. For Los Angeles and Southern California, consider the following. Overall, those of us who care about monarchs in southern California have been working hard to maintain plant and attract monarch butterflies to our gardens, adding to the population, both resident and migrating. . The catch was, what kind of milkweed should I plant? Legacy of Hope Here in Southern California, we may encounter 2 populations of monarchs. It took over 3 weeks of continuous washing, removing the dirt, and replanting the Milkweed with fresh soil in the ground before we saw any cats that lived after eating the Milkweed. Will they spread on their own? Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Grow Native Nursery (Claremont), Ventura County: Some are deadly. Add a variety of milkweed to your butterfly garden. It attracts queen and monarch butterflies for nectar and larval food. HI Tony- People became concerned about the monarchs plight and nursery wholesalers began growing lots of tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) for Southern Californian gardeners decades ago. Growing native milkweeds not so easy. If you plant the native varieties in late summer (which is when nurseries seem to stock it), when the weather grows cold you can expect it to die back into its rootstock, the way your bulbing flowers like narcissus would. 1. Thanks. Last year only 30,000 monarchs were counted. It is a perennial that grows 3-4 ft. high and forms colonies. Milkweeds are the monarch caterpillars sole food, but they are also a magnet to orange-colored aphids, which are unsightly but harmless to the plant and caterpillars, growers say. Im not sure if you checked out the suggested stores on my milkweed resources page, but most should have plants to offer closer to spring, and theres always some hidden gems on ebay or amazon: Tony, if i buy milkweed seeds now, in zone 9, should i plants in lil pots or wait. California Showy Milkweed. the butterflies seem to like them but not as much as some other plants, such as Fire fly plants which butterflies and hummingbirds love. Two milkweed species are commonly offered for sale as "butterfly garden plants." One, Asclepias tuberosa, is native to Florida. For Los Angeles and Southern California, consider the following. Im hesitant to do that for fear of having them die, due to my learning curb. HELP please! Asclepias vestita creamy flowers and broad leaves. It also depends on what species you plant. In the above article, you seem to be in support of the tropical milkweed being used. In early 2020, she moved full time into Features, with a focus on all things flora. If you are a member of a Facebook butterfly enthusiast group, members will offer seeds for free as long as you include a stamped envelope, too. This would create 2 problems: 1) It could confuse the butterflies if there is still food available and they might not migrate like they were supposed to. Native milkweed (showy milkweed) is very invasive so I do not grow it, if the seeds fly to the neighbors yards and take over that is not a good thing. NOTE: With input from Monarch Joint Venture, Dr. Francis Villablanca, and Xerces, it appears that there is some question as to whether resident monarchs is good or bad. Asclepias californica is endemic to California but is most widespread in the southern part of the state. If youre one of the lucky monarch supporterswho has found a dependablelocal resource for milkweed plants, thats great news! It is found mostly in Southern California. Cover the seed with a 1/4 inch of soil. Common names: Pink Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed Native Range: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec Hardiness Zone: 3 Growing Conditions: Light: full sun Soil Moisture: moist, wet Height at Maturity: 1 11 to 3 11 (60 cm to 120 cm) Notes: Considered noxious in some areas. Balloon Plant Milkweed Seeds (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) Rated 5.00 out of 5. [CDATA[ Hi Andy, I would wait until closer to spring. Showy Milkweed is a perennial, with three foot tall stems and large gray five inch leaves, fruits 4" horns, flowers compound 4-5" cluster like a Forth of July firework. In your yard it might seem like a great thing, but tossing non-native wrenches into local ecological systems has often wrought disaster. It likes the weather here in Santa Cruz and grows beautifully. Do your butterfly thing, but with natives! . Someone probably thought, Hey, this purple flower would look great! and now were dealing with Purple Loosestrife. thanks! Here in Santa Cruz, where there is a Monarch sanctuary in our Natural Bridges state park, and here also there is great debate about using non-native species to help the Monarch population. I will appreciate any help getting started. This plant is essential to the life cycle of monarch butterflies because the insects need milkweed to lay their eggs. Dont buy non-natives! Since the 1980's, California's monarch population has declined an estimated 97%. Once it was orange milkweed and the other time they may have been legit but the seeds didnt sprout. There are plenty of quality milkweed vendors shipping stateside. On a sunny Water the seed from the bottom up. good luck! If I do find some and get a pot or bare root what do I do with it since I cant plant it until after our last frost? CA. Without it the species cannot survive. Please be patient. Only Indian Milkweed (Asclepias Eriocarpa), also known as Kotolo or Woollypod Milkweed, is only native to California and some adjacent areas in Nevada. Remember that monarchs are more likely to be attracted to your milkweed patch if you plant a clump of several milkweed plants together in a grouping, rather than a single milkweed plant. Your best bet is to to try planting in both places to see what works best. Feel free to skip to the end, where weve listed eight places you can purchase milkweeds native to Southern California along with other flowering native plants that provide food for adult monarchs. Within 20 minutes, all but 1 was WRITHING on the floor of the tank. "Native" milkweed that was available was from seeds collected mostly from northern California. West (Intermountain and Pacific Northwest) The west region covers the area west of the 100th meridian except West TX, AZ, NM, NV, and CA. However, he also said only 1% of all tagged monarchs are ever found and recorded. Finding native milkweed plants to purchase locally can be a challenge. Researchers get new data and slowly develop new theories, but most of us are impatient. A pink narrow-leaf milkweed next to an orange tropical milkweed. NO.1 BAREROOT 5 Plant (s) $24.99 $5.00 Per Plant. Larner Seeds carries all kinds of California native seeds, and their supply can vary season-by-season. The U.S. Amazon not only sells Milkweed seeds, but also offers plants. We still have lots of hot weather here. Starting with two or 3 varieties is a good idea to see what grows best in your region and which species bring you the most monarchs. There are milkweed varieties that are native to your region, perennial to your region, or can even be grown as annuals. Buddleja buzz has grown well in our twin cities region: Weve also had attraction and bicolor come back. There is one Canadian species we don't have in Ontario Showy Milkweed (A. speciosa), but it's the only species found in BC. It looks like just dirt and maybe a twig, and sometimes there isnt even a twig, Straka said, but if you pop the plant out of the pot and see white roots along the edge of the soil, thats a good sign its alive but in the dormant stage.. Which kind of milkweed? San Diego County: parasite that definitely accumulates due to tropical milkweed. It seems that most of the blog comments are from the east or northern areas of U.S. Hi Jane, at this point all you can do is wait for the butterfly to emerge from the chrysalis. Theodore Payne Foundation (Sun Valley) I suggest you choose one of the others. Hi Barb, you could always try planting some now and more when in cools down in fall. Im trying to get some different native varieties going, along with lots of nectar plants. Asclepias speciosa; Buy Seeds HERE! Ive also used fish emulsion fertilizer in the past, and never had any issues. According to the Xerces Society, L.A. is at the southern tip of the range for this plant. Ive got 2 pretty large milkweed patches going now and am now putting out seeds for more. Happy Monarching . The lady bugs and milkweed seed bugs are still munching on them but I am worried its a problem. Steve. Hi Carol, congrats on starting your new butterfly garden! Here in southern California we also sometimes get queen butterflies on our milkweeds in addition to monarchs. El Nativo Growers, a wholesale native plant grower in Azusa not open to the public, has seen such demand for native milkweed that we sold out [to retailers] very, very early this season, before the plants even emerged from dormancy, said co-owner James Campbell. Wow J, that is so cool! Would you recommend planting milkweed in now in the fall ? Common Milkweed is a native perennial of the eastern United States and southern Canada, though it is found most commonly in the northeast and the midwest. Many many nurseries and gardeners sell milkweed seeds/plants through these huge online retailers. If you find a good source Milkweed, keep going there. Last year after I brought in 6 or 7 caterpillars and ran out of milkweed, so I bought a couple plants from one of those nurseries. And two bills were introduced in Congress in mid-March to help fund monarch habitat restoration and preservation. It is native to the southern US, so it can take a lot of heat and is fairly drought resistant. Im totally new to this but determined to help raise and release butterflies. I since have put 4 Tuberosas in the ground with the idea that as they sprout new leaves, Ill strip off the old ones in time for the Monarchs arriving in about 6 weeks! They are in pots in my basement. native monarch nectar plants for California. . Matilija Nursery Moorpark, CA I did this and the catalog I was looking at had horrible reviews on their milkweed. Purchasing milkweed seeds/plants online has helped us host over 15 milkweed varieties in our butterfly garden, and it can help to expand your selection too. Watch for sprouts within two weeks. i have the stalks of leaves in water and have enough to last few days. I wont buy from them again. YES, PLANT THESE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Asclepias californica - deep pinkish/magenta-ish flowers Every company makes mistakesthe goodones fix their mistakes so the customer is 100% satisfied. Keep it simple when you can. v19i5may2019part2 - Free ebook download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read book online for free. JP], A guide to common milkweeds of California, Xerces Society, 2012 (pdf) includes color photos of the above-mentioned plants, Monarch nectar plants California Coast, Xerces Society, 2016 (pdf), some tips on starting milkweed seeds, MonarchWatch.org (n.d.), webpage includes good descriptions of stratification, heat shocking, and scarification. From my review of California Native plant websites and Xerces Society information sheets, Ive come up with an extremely simple formula. If your garden is north of L.A., this ones for you. But then things got a bit more complex. Parkview Nursery (Riverside) Neels Nursery (Encinitas) For more specifics, check out the Xerces Societys list of native monarch nectar plants for California. Asclepias fascicularis, at the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens nursery, says manager Matt Straka. You cant change what the plant wants to be: a summer bloomer that goes dormant in midwinter.. I live in Louisiana (zone 8 ) Reading your blog has made me want to start a butterfly garden. Butterfly fans, take a breath. Questions that remain that make it difficult to know exactly how to save the western monarchs. $ 4.25 - $ 7.95. Unfortunately, this has happened to many people people raising monarchs throughout the years. What do you think of these issues? It is a flowering perennial with thick, white, woolly stems which bend or run along the ground. In addition, the Milkweed Market offers trays of native milkweed plugs for purchase for different regions of the country (regional availability varies). Email me at melwoodonly@aol.com with subject line BF Seeds. Other members include Butterfly Farms, Sky Mountain Permaculture, the California Native Plant Society San Diego Chapter, US Fish & Wildlife Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the San Diego Natural History Museum. The native host plant for the Monarch butterfly in the inland regions of Southern California is the Narrow Leaf Milkweed, and the blooms of this plant also provide nectar. Some milkweed lives around the ponds close to our yard, so should I plant near them or try in a more sheltered area in my garden? window.dojoRequire(["mojo/signup-forms/Loader"], function(L) { L.start({"baseUrl":"mc.us2.list-manage.com","uuid":"74fad4a43410178f78398f3d2","lid":"32807342bd","uniqueMethods":true}) }), Joanne Poyourow | J. Maak | Change-Making.com, International Garden Center in El Segundo, A guide to common milkweeds of California, Xerces Society, 2012, Monarch nectar plants California Coast, Xerces Society, 2016, some tips on starting milkweed seeds, MonarchWatch.org (n.d.), Monarch Butterflies: The Orange and Black Beauty - Earthroots Field School. Both have reviews/ratings of products and vendors which give you a good indication whetheryoull satisfied purchasing milkweed from them. There are over 200 species of Asclepias worldwide, and more than 70 of those native to North America; about a half-dozen can be found in parts of Oregon. please any advice would help. Remember to save the website info for the vendors that you have a top notch milkweed experience withand to black list the restso theyll never get a chance to fool you twice! Your best times for planting are probably late fall and winter when your temps are coolest and seedlings have a better chance to get established. Hi Tanya, milkweed tends to get fungusy at the end of the season. This, in turn, helps you attract and support more monarchs in your garden! I want to keep this very simple. It is very drought tolerant even occruing in some high desert areas. Once I figured out that cuttings from stripped or leggy tropical milkweed will root in a glass of water, Ive saved the cuttings, let them root (maybe 2 weeks) and I replant. Essential Facts for all California Native Milkweed Varieties It seems that you can reduce the protozoan . Organic onlyIts critical to make sure the native plants you buy are grown organically, without pesticides. I wanted a milkweed patch at my place! Hopefully, Ill never have to buy a milkweed plant from a nursery again. It is a perennial that may reach heights of three to four feet and can create colonies. After speaking with several key researchers, that answer is unknown. In reading articles about where to plant I understand that Butterflies dont like wind and my back yard is facing south but seems to be a wind tunnel. What types of milkweed do best here? Where do you recommend to purchase? Generally, swamp milkweed and tropical milkweed are the easiest plants to find online, and they're usually available from April through October. Dig a small hole about 1/2 inch deep and place anywhere from 2 to 4 seeds and lightly bury. Cheers. To Steve, native milkweeds especially narrow-leaf milkweed, the most prominent variety in california are just now emerging from dormancy, a normal, natural thing that won't be hurried no matter how. It is native to southern California, Arizona, and northern Baja California, where it is most abundant in the desert regions. Common name: California Milkweed Native Range: USA: California Mexico: Baja California USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10 Asclepias cordifolia Common names: Heart-leaf Milkweed, Purple Milkweed (Note that Purple Milkweed is also a common name for Asclepias purpurascens) Native Range: USA: California, Nevada, Oregon USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a to 10b native plant region: Arizona, Idaho, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming perennial region: USDA hardiness zones 6a-10b ('Davis' var. You have more options with a longer growing season. If it is, you typically only have a couple varieties to choose from. Best Milkweed Seeds 100% Organic. For more nectar plant lists on the Xerces Society webpage Keep those cuttings!! You mentioned cutting the tropical milkweed back. I believe diligence is the key when starting a Monarch/butterfly way station. Recovery strategies include habitat management, reintroduction, conservation research, and public education. Shelley, we have several butterfly plants. A couple of these species, in fact, are endemic, meaning they're found only in our state. This past year, Washington and Oregon, though they have planted some excellent native habitat for monarchs, saw only a handful of monarchs all year. Try SoCals newest set of trails: Venturas nature reserve. Customers need to be sure theyre buying from specialized growers, who know how to control aphids without using harmful chemicals, said Moosa Creek owner Jose Cohen. There are several California native milkweeds, which are the ones we should be planting. Some commercial growers use a systemic chemical pesticide on their milkweed to discourage aphids, but that also makes the plant toxic to the caterpillars. Otherwise, we remove affected leaves and discard: Ive struck out twice trying to buy asclepias purpurescens. We have all kinds of butterflies that come to them. One of the questions I get asked most often is where to buy milkweed from. Walter Anderson Nursery (Poway & Point Loma), Tree of Life Nursery (San Juan Capistrano), Parkview Nursery (Riverside) Parkview Nursery (Arlington) Cactus Mart (Morongo Valley), Theodore Payne Foundation (Sun Valley)-NATIVE MILKWEED SEEDS, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Grow Native Nursery (Claremont), H&H Nursery (Long Beach) This, in turn, encourages the monarchs to not migrate, to stay here in the wrong seasons, and it can lead to a buildup of theOphryocystis elektroscirrha infection which is detrimental to the monarchs the complete opposite of what we are trying to do! Would you like to know when there is a new blog post on monarchs? The green dragontail and the white dragontail are two species of the swallowtail butterfly found in southern Asia. Im a little hesitant to do in pots and transplants bc it seems like I have less success with that with my vegetable garden, but could try that too if needed. Weve tried growing native milkweed in different conditions and its the same. The accompanying leaflet states We ship dormant plants with no leaves, blooms or foliage. The Caterpillar has been in chrysalis stage for about 2 weeks. Asclepias lanuginosa Andersons La Costa Nursery (Encinitas) It is a good nectar source though. They are saying January before they get any. Lady came running after me telling me that the plants would kill my butterflies. (Tropical milkweed with orange, yellow and orange or all yellow flowers), Watch a fun and engaging video from April thru July, 2020 of monarch caterpillars ravenously eating native and tropical milkweed in my habitats: Hi Jill your best bet would be to head out a local nursery, as Ive rarely seen those plants online: Hi. Place one or two seeds in each pot. The show is next May. We recommend using native . Hi Shelley,the biggest problem with butterfly bushes in our region is whether they come back or not. I added aspecific stores sectionat the end of my resource page for people that wanted to know which vendors I personally recommend and have purchased from: Generic common names like butterfly flower and butterfly weed can refer to several different species of milkweed, so only purchase when you see the scientificname. Watch for seed development, and save their seeds. I will be buying my annuals from Annies this fall. Hi Agnes, you can find milkweed seeds/plants here: Be careful when you order internationally. If you know the botanic name and the appearance of the variety of milkweed you are seeking, you might be able to find it on other sites, such as Etsy. native milkweeds especially narrow-leaf milkweed, the most prominent variety in california are just now emerging from dormancy, a normal, natural thing that won't be hurried no matter how. Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa (Clay Form) As low as $12.99 Sale $10.39. But in Southern California tropical milkweed stays green and blooming year round. All of these seem to have pink, pinkish, or white flowers. (Interesting note from the Xerces Societys publication Protecting Californias Butterfly Groves: Monarchs need temperatures of 55 degrees or higher to be able to fly, and can only crawl helplessly on the ground if they are unlucky enough to fall from their perch. As already mentioned, April thru July saw a profusion of breeding monarchs in Orange County, California, more than in many a year as reported by numerous local monarch butterfly gardeners. Unfortunately, milkweed isnt widely available locally for many across North America. Mission Hills Nursery (Mission Hills) (510) 215-3301. Where does milkweed grow in Southern California? There is always more available then. Instead, it recommends that people in coastal areas, especially within five miles of overwintering sites, focus on California native plants that bloom in the winter (November-January) and/or early spring (February-April), to provide nectar for the adult monarch butterflies when they need it most. Im in Georgia and I would like to buy a few milkweed plants online but a few of the sites I have visited say they have already filled their orders for 2017.
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