I mentioned to DW the other day that I wanted to plant some milkweed so we could host some Monarchs. I thought it would be fun for my daughters to be able to see them. She then proceeds to tell me that she is allergic to the milkweed..... What would be your second choice for a host plant for the Monarch?
Thanks,
Mike
What to do?
sorry mike, the monarchs only lay eggs on the milkweeds so there isn't a second choice. but, if you have ruta graveolens (common rue) and parsley, and a passiflora, you can have a nice variety of swallowtails on the rue and the parsley and beautiful zebra longwings, gulf fritillaries, and possibly other butterfly caterpillars on the passiflora.
There are a variety of MWs. The sap in them can be irritating - well toxic, period. That's the Monarch's defense mechanism. Why not plant them far enough away from the house that no one will get into them?
I'm guessing where you live you might see a lot of them, particularly during the fall migration.
A.
vitrsna,
Of the plants you suggested, I do have a passiflora so we'll see as I just put it in this year.
Amanda,
I think that is going to be my only option if I am to have any MW. I had planned to put the "butterfly" bed on the south end of the house but that is where the wind usually blows in from. If I put them on the north end of the yard they'll still receive the same amount of sunlight just have to view it from the backyard instead of the front.
Thanks,
Mike
I think the butterflies will find them no matter where you put them. Plant your nectar plants up front and barricade the MW behind. I'd go with plants that don't move around like the common MW. I've found A. incarnata stays put. Butterfly weed/A. tuberosa spreads slowly over time, but it doesn't have the same toxic properties as other MWs.
The preferred MW for my cats it seems is the tropical MW/A. curassavica. It's an annual and has great flowers serves both as nectar and larval host. I think you'd also like the Sennas/Cassia which are hosts to sulfurs. I enjoyed rearing them last year as well. With your full sun area it'd be a great addition as it does not bloom until Sept or Oct!!!
Amanda,
Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to pick up some seed here in the near future and sow them in Nov/Dec for the next years plants.
Mike
I know I'm late to the discussion, but in what way is she allergic to milkweed? The touch, the sap, the pollen? If it's the pollen, how is she allergic to that and not other blooming plants? I'm just curious, but it seems to me the answer might be helpful in your choice.
I'm just guessing here but Milkweed allergy is usually contact dermatitis, not the pollen.
I have severe pollen allergies. I use the tag "pollengarden" because "No-pollen-well-I-guess-that-is-not-realistic-how-about-low-pollen-garden" was too long. Plants pollinated by Hummingbirds are never a problem, plants pollinated by bees and butterflies are seldom a problem, plants pollinated by beetles can be a problem, plants pollinated by wind (inconspicuous flowers, no nectar, but lots of pollen) are always a problem.
I have good luck with dill and Black Swallowtails - dill/carrot family can also cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people.
This message was edited Jun 8, 2012 12:54 PM
Mike, you might make sure to harvest the seed yourself before they self-seed, or just clip them off before they mature. That way they will only grow where you plant them.