Different Species Of Milkweed For Different States Not Stated ALSO, Food For Emerging Insects

Question

I live in SD CA area. what milkweed variety is appropriate? What “nursery plant” is necessary for food of newly hatched insects? Those 2 points are never addressed on other sites, even US gov’t sites. Would a small garden of 2-3 plants, or less, supply enough accomodation of plants or is a “meadow” size, or large beneficial? I have a small yard

Answer 1

This article should help. The California Native Plant Society lists native milkweed plants and sources for them.

https://calscape.org/loc-California/Milkweed%20(all)/vw-list/np-0

Any size space devoted to butterfly plants will help. It can even be a few plants in containers if that is all the space that is available. Host plants for the butterfly eggs and caterpillars plus nectar plants for the adult butterflies. Here are more sources that should help:

https://www.xerces.org/

https://monarchwatch.org/

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/plants-for-butterfly-eggs.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/what-is-nectar.htm