Plant flowers to attract monarch butterflies

January 05, 2011

Flower enthusiasts and butterfly lovers alike will have reason to engage in planting activities that promise to bring more of these winged creatures to spring and summer gardens.

According to the Los Angeles Times, monarch butterfly populations have been on the decline as of late, prompting many gardeners to plant more milkweed to attract them and encourage them to lay their eggs. Monarchs plant their eggs on milkweeds and drink the plant's alkaloid sap, which acts as a line of defense by making the butterflies poisonous to birds.

Some gardeners opt for the colorful South American blood flower milkweed, though scientists recommend native varieties as the exotic plants may disuade monarchs from migrating and thus make them more vulnerable, the news source reports.

Monarchs mainly feed on milkweed, but dogbane can also be a powerful attractor as well, TheGardenHelper.com reports. To attract a wide variety of winged creatures, you can buy flowers online as well as plant any of a number of black eyed susans, butterfly lilies, daisies, lilacs, Texas bluebonnets and zinnias, among others.

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