The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center (Houston Arboretum) hosts a special plant sale of hard-to-find native milkweed on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. for members and 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. for non-members, or as long as the plants last. Milkweed is critical to the ecosystem, as it is the only plant on which monarch butterflies lay their eggs and caterpillars feed. It also attracts beneficial pollinators, including many types of bees, while providing beautiful color to gardens.
Monarch butterflies spend their lives migrating from Canada and the United States to Mexico – some traveling up to 3,000 miles. However, nearly one billion monarch butterflies have vanished since 1990 due to habitat destruction, illegal logging, widespread use of pesticides, livestock raising and deforestation. These factors all impact their primary food source, milkweed, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to support the monarch butterfly’s ongoing health and well-being, while adding color to your garden with native milkweed,” says Debbie Markey, Executive Director of the Houston Arboretum. “We encourage folks to come out and shop early, as we anticipate this sale to be very popular. Currently, we plan to have more than 200 plants on hand.” Markey noted that the species of native milkweed for sale include Asclepias viridis, A. tuberosa and A. perennis, all gallon-sized.
Normally, monarch butterflies migrate during the cooler winter months. Milkweed species native to North America, like Asclepias tuberosa, die back each fall which helps promote butterfly migration. With no milkweed, butterflies head south to Mexico in search of a new food source.
Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is not native to the United States or Canada but rather the tropics. However, since it is attractive and easy to grow, it is often the most widely available milkweed at commercial nurseries. Native milkweed is harder to find, but it makes all the difference, ensuring that monarch butterflies will flourish.
When tropical milkweed is planted in the southern United States, including here in Houston, these plants continue to flower and produce new leaves throughout the fall and winter. This can negatively affect monarch butterflies, including impeding their necessary migration and causing an increase in infections with the Ophrycystis elektroscirrha (OE) parasite. Migration helps mitigate OE infections.
The Houston Arboretum encourages the public to support local and native ecologies that are vital to the health and sustainability of any landscape. One way to do this is to use native plants, which typically require less watering and are not as susceptible to weather extremes and pests as non-native plants.
Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is located at 4501 Woodway Dr. Consider joining the Houston Arboretum to enable us to provide nature education to children and adults and preserve wildlife habitats that serve as a home for native plants and animals. Supporting members ensure the continuation of the Houston Arboretum’s vital services and are entitled to many benefits, including discounts and free events. Individual memberships start at $35 ($30 for students and seniors), while couples can join for $50.
For information about how to join the Houston Arboretum or to sign-up for classes, visit houstonarboretum.org or call (713) 681-8433.