Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) and milkweeds (Asclepias species): The Current Situation and Methods for Propagating Milkweeds

An international effort is under way to conserve populations of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus L. [Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae]). Monarchs complete an impressive migration each year, flying from winter roosts on the California coast and the central mountains of Mexico to breeding areas throughout North America. Monarchs depend on habitats along their migratory paths that contain milkweed species (Asclepias L. [Apocynaceae])—larvae are obligate feeders on leaves, and adults visit flowers for nectar. More than 130 species of milk-weeds grow in North America and are readily propagated using seeds, or in some cases, cuttings. To assist monarchs and other native pollinators, native plant nurseries and their clients can incorporate milkweed species into restoration plantings in suitable habitats within the native range of individual species.