Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a larval host plant for the Monarch and Queen butterflies, and is a key Monarch Way Station plant.
We have to grow Tropical Milkweed as an annual here as it dies out in the winter. Still, it is well worth it to plant the Tropical Milkweed each year, as once it starts blooming, it just continues to bloom all season long. And those flowers are bright and very pretty. It is a host plant for Monarch caterpillars.
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a larval host plant for the Monarch and Queen butterflies, and is a Monarch Way Station plant.
A little aggressive in a cultivated area (I transplanted a few milkweed plants from the woods edge to my perennial garden), but easy to pull out if there are too many and well worth the trouble for the benefit to butterflies and bees. Milkweed is the sole host plant for Monarch butterflies, as well as Milkweed Tussock Moths, and crucial to their survival. The flowers are also fragrant, and the pods can add interest to dried flower arrangements. Many types of insects visit the flowers for the nectar.
Good nectar source for hummingbirds as well as butterflies
The Hopi name for this plant is "Piíñí".
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet') is a larval host plant for the Queen and Monarch butterflies and a key Monarch Way Station plant. It is an excellent source of nectar for late season butterflies and moths, and attracts a variety of pollinators. Swamp Milkweed also has special value to native, bumble, and honey bees, including yellowfaced, sweat, green sweat, small resin, and leafcutter bees.
Occurring widely in the northeast in thickets, open woods, and fields, Purple Milkweed is similar to common Milkweed except that it has much deeper rose-pink flowers and more pointed leaves. Plants form clumps 2 to 3 feet tall and wide and have stout straight stems topped by beautiful mid-summer rosy-purple flower balls. Butterflies LOVE their nectar and Monarch butterfly caterpillars love their leaves. Easy to grow in dry, poor to average soil, in full sun. Plants may seed and form colonies. (Sunlight Gardens)
Found in prairie habitats.
Milkweeds are host plants for the Monarch and Queen butterflies and suitable for butterfly gardens. Precautions should be taken, however, whenever any contact occurs with the white latex-like sap of the plant. A few sensitive individuals can have reactions to just getting this on their skin. Also, precautions should be taken to avoid any possible contact with the eyes. This toxic sap can cause serious eye problems and even swelling of the cornea of the eye. Wash your hands thoroughly after any contact with the sap. If your eyes are somehow exposed to it, immediately take measures to protect your eyesight! Wash your hands, rinse out your eyes and call an eye doctor.
