Save Our Monarch Butterflies: Plant These Species Of Florida Native Milkweed In Tampa

Published On: June 23, 2018|Categories: Blog|Tags: Florida native milkweed, Florida native plants|

In Florida, we host migrating monarch butterflies in the spring and the fall. Most people are aware by now that monarchs feed primarily on milkweed plants. Our state has ample non-native milkweed plants, but non-native tropical milkweed may be causing monarch butterfly populations linger longer than they should during their migration. This presents a significant risk to the monarch populations by encouraging the populations to overwinter where they aren’t supposed to. Planting native milkweed species for our specific state (and even our specific part of the state) helps encourage a healthy population of monarchs.

Tampa, Florida Native Milkweed Species

When choosing a milkweed species to cultivate in South Florida, be sure to specify that you want a Florida native ecotype suitable for the Tampa area. It’s best to choose a Florida grower, though if the Florida nursery that you choose can’t verify the species by name and guarantee they are pesticide free (see below), buy your milkweed somewhere else.

Perhaps more preferably, you can shop for milkweeds species suitable for Tampa by name. If you can find them, the following are excellent milkweed species specifically for the Tampa area to help the monarch butterflies:

Asclepias lanceolata, fewflower milkweed
Asclepias longifolia, Florida milkweed
Asclepias incarnata, swamp milkweed
Asclepias tomentosa, velvet leaf milkweed
Asclepias feayi, Florida milkweed
Asclepias curtissii, Curtiss’ milkweed
Asclepias pedicellata, savannah milkweed
Asclepias verticillata, whorled milkweed

Florida nurseries often carry swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) aquatic milkweeds. Asclepias incarnata do thrive in our area, but only choose these species if your yard can support the wetness these species require.

WORD OF CAUTION: Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is widely available from Florida nurseries, but it’s considered to coarse for the monarch caterpillars to actually eat. Choose a better species to support the monarch butterflies.

Never Choose Treated Milkweed

A major threat to monarchs is that as milkweed grows in popularity, nurseries are carrying them. This sounds great in theory. Unfortunately, the horticultural industry regularly treats all their plants with systemic insecticides. They must not realize that the reason people demand milkweed isn’t for the pants’ beauty, but to save our monarchs. The insecticides create a serious threat to the survival of the monarch butterfly species. These insecticides can both kill the caterpillars and cause sterility in the butterfly eggs.

SHOP LOCAL: Citrus Park Landscape Nursery in Tampa sells native milkweed plants that are free of neonicotinoid and pesticides.

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