With the drastic decrease in the monarch population, many people are looking to milkweed to help save the monarchs.
So Why Milkweed?
Monarch larvae feed almost exclusively on milkweed because the milky sap inside of the milkweed makes them toxic to their predators. When the caterpillar ingests the milky sap, it will carry through to the wings and exoskeleton once it becomes an adult (butterfly). Many predators avoid the Monarchs because they know they will taste bad or make them sick.
So what is Monarch Promise Milkweed?
Monarch Promise Milkweed is a tropical Milkweed, making it an annual in Iowa. It begins blooming in June and will continue to bloom throughout the entire summer. This plant is great for Monarchs to lay their eggsm on, as well as for nectar to fuel their migration further south. Monarch Promise has beautiful bright orange and red clusters of flowers atop narrow green and white variegated foliage. Plus, the leaves have pink tips.
This variety performs well in the landscape or containers and is hopefully an inpiring plant to encourage gardeners to get involved with butterfly gardening.
Monarch Promise is an introduction by Hort Couture, which can only be found at Independent Garden Centers.