I recently wrote an article about a “Viceroy” butterfly visiting our garden.  When I first spotted that beauty on our Butterfly Bush Buddleja, I originally thought it was a Monarch butterfly. After doing some research, I discovered that it was the look-alike Viceroy. The Viceroy is a joy to see, but I am always hoping that the endangered Monarch returns in greater numbers.

The other day we were enjoying the garden and thought we saw another Viceroy butterfly. It landed on the Butterfly Bush a few inches from where I was standing.  I thought it was lovely to be so close to the butterfly and then realized – hey, this one does not have that black-line marking across the bottom wings that are found on Viceroys.  This is a Monarch in our garden!

I was a bit confused since I read that Monarchs need the Milkweed Asclepias plant for their survival. So back to research again to learn more about this butterfly.

According to a UC Davis article by Kathy Keatley Garvey, “Three-Year Study Gives Insight into Monarchs and Milkweed” https://www.ucdavis.edu/blog/three-year-study-gives-insight-monarchs-and-milkweed, the Milkweed is the only plant that Monarchs lay their eggs on, and is crucial for the larvae survival.  However, the mature Monarch can harvest nectar, as a food source, from a wide variety of plants, including our Butterfly Bush.

I was so inspired by seeing this Monarch butterfly that I have decided to now grow some Milkweed with the hope that they will come and lay eggs next year. If you would like to grow Milkweed in your garden, there are many varieties available from some of our local nurseries. I read that the Showy Milkweed, Asclepias speciosa, and the Narrowleaf Milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis do really well in our area. Keep in mind that Milkweed can be invasive, so it is best to keep them contained in pots when possible.

The Master Gardener website lists plant sales that offer many choices of California native plants, including Milkweed. Check this the website to see information on upcoming sales: https://solanomg.ucanr.edu/.  Also, check the California Native Plant Society (https://www.cnps.org/) as they periodically have plant sales that include Milkweed.

I hope you decide to plant some Milkweed; we can collectively help to support our Monarch butterflies!