How to create a Monarch butterfly garden

Because I plant a variety of flowers and vegetables in my garden, butterflies are ever-present. Curious, I did research on each butterfly and became aware of the fascinating Monarch butterfly. In addition to being beautiful, Monarchs have an amazing story. They are native pollinators of many vegetables and fruits. Further, they encourage a vast interest in nature and science. One interesting fact about Monarchs is their annual migration. The eastern Monarch migrates from Central Mexico to as far north as Southern Canada. The Western Monarch remains mostly in Southern California and will migrate to the California coast to overwinter. In fact, it’s not uncommon for one butterfly to travel more than 2000 miles!

However, Monarchs are in decline and the decline is caused by three key factors. Firstly, the loss of habitat due to development. Secondly, the increased use of herbicides and pesticides which kill butterflies. Thirdly, climate change as Monarchs are sensitive to changes in temperature. As a result of the decline, there is a need for each of us to act. Consequently, creating a Monarch butterfly garden is a lovely way to help the butterflies and add beauty to your home garden.

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Monarch Butterfly Garden requirements

There are five basic requirements for a Monarch butterfly garden.

1. Sunny location
2. Two categories of plants are needed:
   • Native milkweed plants for caterpillars
   • Nectar plants for butterflies
3. Rocks or flat stones to absorb the sun’s heat and act as a resting space for Monarchs
4. A pan filled with coarse sand and dampened with water. This will act as a drinking and mineral source for Monarchs.
5. Avoid the use of broad-spectrum pesticides sprayed all around the yard. Instead, treat individual plants as needed.

When designing your garden, the milkweed should be accessible and not hidden behind taller plants. Therefore, making it easy for the Monarch butterflies to find the milkweed plants.

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Milkweed

Monarchs only lay their eggs on Milkweed. In addition, it’s the only plant on which Monarch caterpillars will feed. Without Milkweed, Monarchs will not survive. Therefore, Milkweed is a requirement. When looking for Milkweed plants, Native Milkweed should be used as opposed to Tropical Milkweed. Tropical Milkweed is usually treated with chemicals that can be toxic to Monarchs. Further, Tropical Milkweed can disrupt the migratory cycle and cause disease. For more information on tropical milkweed, click on this link.  

There are several varieties of Native Milkweed. Butterflyweed (Asciepias tuberosa) is the most recognized native milkweed with clusters of reddish-orange flowers. It’s important to plant milkweed species native to your area. Monarch Watch has a list of milkweed varieties by state.

A minimum of 5 native milkweed plants is needed when creating your Monarch Butterfly garden. However, if you have a larger garden, more milkweed should be planted. For a 100 square foot area, plant 10 native milkweeds.

Handle Milkweed plants with special care. If the sap from the stem or any leaf or root residue gets into your eyes, corneal endothelial could occur a few hours later. Symptoms include pain and blurry vision. Therefore, when handling milkweed, follow these precautions:

• Wear eye protection, gloves, and a sweat-stopping headband
• Do not rub eyes
• Wash hands after handling

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Nectar Plants

When Monarchs are at the caterpillar stage, they feed on Milkweed. However, during the adult butterfly state, Monarchs need a variety of nectar plants on which to feed (see above for examples). Nectar is a sweet liquid that plants secrete, usually inside the flower, to attract pollinators. In a Monarch Butterfly garden, it is important to have a variety of nectar plants for the adult butterfly. This can be a combination of annual and perennial plants. Something should always be in bloom. Therefore, annuals are a nice addition to the garden.

For a complete list of nectar plants by region in the United States, click here.

Monarch Life Cycle

It’s also interesting to understand the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly (see below). This cycle occurs four times during the year creating four generations of Monarchs. As a result of the migration and lifecycles, Monarchs need many milkweed and nectar plants. Therefore, creating a Monarch butterfly garden is one way to support them.

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Monarch migration

Below, the map shows the migration path of both the eastern and western Monarchs. While the eastern Monarchs overwinter in Mexico, the western Monarchs overwinter mostly on the coast of California.

In conclusion, I hope you have enjoyed reading how to create a Monarch butterfly garden. You may also be interested in reading my article on “Importance of Native Plants“. I wish you success!

References

• The University of Minnesota Extension – Creating a Butterfly Garden
• NJ Department of Environmental Protection – Monarch Guide