In addition to being a monarch magnet, milkweed supports many other pollinators and is easy to grow.
Just about every school child learns about milkweed because this plant isessential food for monarch butterfly caterpillars.
There are actually several types of milkweeds (Asclepiasspp.
Credit: Lynn Karlin
), all of which are native to North America.
The main source of the defenses is also what gives the plant its common namethe milky white latex sap.
The sticky sap and all parts of the plant contain high levels of a compound toxic to all vertebrates.
Credit: Matthew Benson
This is what gives monarchs their characteristic bad taste that keeps predators away.
The second defense these plants have is the sticky characteristic of the sap itself.
The sap also can gum up the chewing mouthparts of insects, preventing them from eating more.
Credit:Rob Cardillo
Milkweed Care Tips
Milkweeds are tough and need very little care.
These plants are typicallynative to grassland prairies, where plants compete for scarce resources.
Full sun is ideal, but milkweeds will grow in a little shade too.
Credit:Charles Mann
During World War II, stuffing for life jackets was in short supply, so they substituted milkweed silk.
The fibers are also hypoallergenic and can be used to stuff pillows.
Pests and Problems
The main milkweed pest is the oleander aphid.
Credit: Lynn Karlin
These pesky bugs quickly form colonies and will cover the whole stem in just a few days.
However, they don’t tend to cause severe or lasting damage to milkweed plantsdamage is usually cosmetic.
The large amounts of honeydew they secrete can cause black sooty mold that is also unsightly.
Credit:Carson Downing
To get rid of these aphids, spray with a strong stream of water or insecticidal soap.
It grows to 3 feet tall.
It grows between 2 and 5 feet tall.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
The leaves have a distinctive upward sweep.
The plant grows 3 feet tall.
It grows 4-6 feet tall.
Credit: Bryan E. McCay
Zones 3-8
Milkweed Companion Plants
Catmint
Carson Downing
Catmint (Nepetaspp.
)is one of the toughest perennials you might grow.
It will bloom from early to midsummer or longer as long as it’s deadheaded.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Its seeds are sterile so it won’t spread itself around.
It grows about 5 feet tall.
Easy Bird and Butterfly Garden Plan
This low-maintenance garden will bring lots ofpollinators buzzing around your landscape.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
