I just watched an incredible documentary about the Monarch butterfly's migration thousands of miles to and from Canada to Mexico.
I have seen the migration here in Baja Norte and I want to plant a garden of milkweed (the only food they consume).Frigatebird - 11-26-2017 at 08:00 PM
I just watched an incredible documentary about the Monarch butterfly's migration thousands of miles to and from Canada to Mexico.
Google says "algodoncillo". I think I watched the same show. Finding a tagged butterfly in the mountains must have been gratifying.
So Johnny Appleseed becomes GypsyJan Milkweed.
One Can Only Hope :)
GypsyJan - 11-26-2017 at 08:39 PM
wilderone - 11-27-2017 at 08:49 AM
If you can find someone's milkweed plants and see that the seed pods are opening and disbursing the seeds, maybe acquire some -- the seeds easily
sprout and propagate. My plants don't do very well during winter, but thrive in warmer seasons. Once a healthy plant starts to produce pods/seeds,
you'll have an endless supply to start new plants. Don Jorge - 11-27-2017 at 09:19 AM
Algodnncilla is correct. The seed are born in a pod and when ready for dispersal the pod bursts and the seeds fly away on the wind currents, each
attached to their own cotton glider.
Asclepias is the genus and the are over 100 species in the genus.
In so CA we grow both the CA native Asclepias fascicularis , colloquially known as Narrowleaf milkweed or Mexican whorled milkweed, and Asclepias
curassavica, tropical milkweed.
The Asclepias curassavica is a prettier, much larger plant with lots of showy flowers and more leaf canopy and seems to attract more Monarchs the the
CA native. There is controversy over the use of Asclepias curassavica non native milkweeds in plantings in more temperate zones.
We did our research and opted to plant mostly tropical milkweeds because of there success in attracting large populations of butterflies, both
Monarchs and Striated Queens. Because they produce copius amounts of nectar they also attract hummingbirds, bumblebees and honeybees.
All milkweed species are very east to propagate from seed. We currently have over a thousand seedlings growing in our greenhouse for planting in late
February as a perennial pollinator attraction crop.
Gypsy Jan, plant, plant, plant! You will be rewarded a hundred fold.
.
We have counted over 30 Monarch larvae on a single milkweed plant and they eventually crawl off, hang out and morph again, again and again.
Jack Swords - 11-27-2017 at 10:04 AM
We live near Oceano/Pismo where the eucalyptus trees serve as an over wintering place for the monarchs. We have monarchs all year. I have planted
several types of milkweed, have them growing. Don Jorge's comment on the tropical variety being preferred has been my experience. We don't lose the
tropical with winter frosts, but the monarch caterpillars eat the leaves down to the stem, then the stem is eaten. I am constantly moving
caterpillars around to plants that still have leaves. Leaves regrow and the cycle begins again. The pupa stage has a beautiful chrysalis and we find
them attached everywhere. Lots of new monarchs coming out all year. I am aware of the controversy, but the winter population in Pismo is down
significantly and needs all the help it can get.daveB - 11-27-2017 at 02:51 PM
Have made the trip to the butterflies in the Mountains west of Mexico city. Began from the west driving past Morelia and a bit south, arriving at
9,000 feet, to Angangeo. Next day drove up the road to about the 10,000 foot level, parked and arranged for a donkey ride, with a guide, 55 minutes to
a spot where we left the animals. The guide had walked that distance, the animals were huffing a bit, but the guide showed no signs of the uphill walk
to likely, 11,000 feet. From that point we walked a bit downhill to see the trees festooned with Monarchs. We were first in the area, the morning cold
(there was ice on the water buckets at 10,000 feet) kept almost all the butterflies up in the trees, but we were exhilerated to see the numbers,
wearing their almost camo, in the trees. The walk back to the animals was a little difficult after spending the winter on the beach at sea level. On
the way out we passed an incoming group: people we knew from the beach the year before! stayed that night in the town, again.woody with a view - 11-27-2017 at 07:32 PM
