Simple Steps to Help Monarchs and Beautify Yards

• Milkweed is essential to monarch reproduction since its larvae can only eat milkweed;
• Plant only native species as some non-natives like tropical milkweed are harmful to monarch butterflies;
• These natives will not cause allergies since their pollen is heavy and sticky and spread by pollinators not by wind;
• Don’t buy cultivars; they aren’t native;
• Native species include common milkweed, butterfly weed, marsh/swamp or red milkweed, whorled milkweed, purple milkweed, and tall green milkweed;
• A great source of inexpensive, specially discounted plants is CFC’s Native Plant Sale. www.citizensforconservation.org.

Photo credits: Donna Bolzman & Meredith Tucker.