Monarchs are perhaps the most iconic butterfly in North America. Famous for their long migrations, these orange and black beauties have a wingspan that ranges from 3 3/8 to 4 7/8 inches. A double row of white spots in a black border on the hindwing (see Photo 1) helps distinguish this butterfly from the smaller Viceroy and the darker, root beer-colored Queen. (See Photos 2 and 3.)

Females lay eggs singly on milkweed leaves. (See Photo 4.) The yellow, black and white striped caterpillars that emerge are voracious and can easily devour several large milkweed leaves each day as late instar caterpillars. (See Photo 5.) This appetite highlights just how important it is to have numerous milkweed plants in your garden.

Adult Monarchs nectar on milkweed as well as goldenrods, blazing stars, ironweed and other nectar-rich plants. Unfortunately, on December 15, 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that listing the Monarch as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act was warranted but precluded due to higher priorities. Unlike other parts of the country, our area has a year-round Monarch population, so please take steps to conserve this species by planting native species that support this beautiful butterfly. Please also avoid planting non-native tropical milkweed. Research shows that Monarchs breeding on tropical milkweed have higher levels of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (“OE”), a debilitating protozoan parasite. You can learn more about this problem here.

Aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis) a great Florida native milkweed, but quite a different species from Swamp Milkweed (A. incarnata). As its common name implies, aquatic milkweed occurs in a variety of wetland habitats, including semi-shaded forests in native Florida habitats which experience drought before rainy season commences to which it can handle from my experience. It can survive lower amounts of direct sunlight than our other native species.  It can become lankier during the season but still a terrific native as it is available all year to our beloved Monarchs. Aquatic milkweed can tolerate 2-3 months of drought in our Florida sandy soils but also does very well in extremely wet and nearly underwater conditions during the Florida rainy seasons.  It has some drought tolerance and is more easily grown than swamp milkweed, especially in the winter months when the Pink swamp milkweed is dormant. A mature height in the late spring can reach about 2 feet. Each is densely covered by lance-shaped bright green leaves approximately 2 inches in length. I have witnessed during milkweed research studies this plant with seed pods and flowers during the Florida winter. The flowers are bright white and very cute. This wildflower is commonly propagated for home gardeners and is quite hardy.  I plant it in shady areas around my yard that get a mix of sun and shade as well as some areas that are full sun - the plants do well in pretty much any condition Florida seems to throw at it.  If you have sprinklers hitting it regularly, it will receive enough water from my experience.

Blazing star (Liatris gracilis) is a short-lived perennial in the Aster family whose native range includes most of Florida and a few counties in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Found in habitat that includes dry hammocks, oak scrubs, longleaf pine-wiregrass flatwoods communities, mixed oak-pine woodlands, grasslands, sandhills, and limestone outcroppings, blazing star cannot tolerate wet feet and needs well-drained soils. At 4-7 feet tall, the upper 1/3 of blazing star’s stalks are covered in tiny purple flowers that are most profuse during the fall months. Like other Liatris species, blazing star requires full sun and is a great nectar source for native bees, moths, and butterflies. Plant it in the back of your garden and be prepared to let it go to seed — the seeds attract small birds which snack on them.

Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) is a vigorous, 20-40 foot vine that introduces an element of mystery to any garden: its large (5-6 inch) showy white iridescent flowers begin to unfurl as the sun sets and close as the sun reaches full strength. With a wonderful sweet fragrance, moonflower is an important nectar source for our native nighttime moths, including the pink-spotted hawkmoth and others in the Sphingid family. (For some interesting facts about this family of moths, check out this US Forest Service article here.)

In our area, moonflower is a long-lived perennial that blooms from mid-summer to fall. Moonflower’s native habitat includes mesic hammocks and the margins of swamps and marshes. It requires moist (but not wet) soil and does not tolerate dry conditions well. It grows best in full sun and can be grown in containers. Be sure to plant it near a trellis, fence or other upright structure for support – it will overrun other plants if given the chance. Pair it with Simpson’s stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) for an aromatic experience that both humans and our native pollinators will enjoy.

Please note: moonflower has low severity poison characteristics. Ingestion of any part can cause hallucinations and confusion. As a result, it’s a good idea to keep children and pets away from them. It’s also best to remove spent flowers before they drop seeds; this will promote robust blooming and minimize the risk of accidental seed ingestion.

Purchase 3 pink swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) on October 9th or 10th and get one free!

Join Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation on a butterfly walk.  Species that could be seen include Cloudless sulphur, Orange-barred sulphur, White peacock, Zebra longwing, Viceroy, Statira sulphur, Dainty Sulphur, Common buckeye, Mangrove buckeye, Fiery skipper, Gulf fritillary, Phaon crescent, Cassius blue, Ceraunus blue, Monarch, Common white checkered skipper, Tropical white checkered skipper, and more. This is a new location that may be part of the North American Butterfly Association count circles for Tampa Bay. Come join us to help monitoring populations of butterflies in this beautiful park.  This is a free event with limited spots, so register now!