By Tammy Thornton
Many gardeners are counting the days until spring, when they can safely resume planting seeds directly in the ground. But with freezing temperatures in the forecast, it’s a long lesson in patience. Thoughts of flowers and butterflies seem like a distant memory. However, did you know you can plant milkweed seeds now to attract monarch butterflies in the spring and summer?
Monarch butterfly caterpillars are dependent on milkweed as their sole food source. They are voracious eaters and seeing them in action, you’ll understand the inspiration for Eric Carle’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. A couple of years ago, I enjoyed the rewarding experience of “raising” monarch caterpillars by sheltering them in netted containers safe from predators, then releasing them as butterflies. I could barely keep up with their demand for milkweed plants.
Though there are many varieties of milkweed, it’s the only plant on which adult female monarchs will lay their eggs. So it’s an essential plant if you want to attract monarchs to your garden. But, milkweed seeds won’t germinate until after they have been exposed to a period of cold and moisture. This process, called stratification, aids in breaking the dormancy cycle of the seed and softening its hard outer shell. Consider that, in nature, the seed pods mature and begin to break open in late fall. Some blow in the wind and land in the soil where they will rest through the cold winter months. Other seeds will be spread by late-nesting birds such as goldfinches when they pull out the coma, the fluffy white down, from the milkweed seed pods to use in their nests. If you have collected or purchased milkweed seeds to plant on your own, you must replicate this same timeline of exposing the seeds to the cold/moist conditions of winter. Isn’t it interesting that some things must experience the harshness of winter to thrive in the spring?
Ideally, you should scatter your milkweed seeds in the desired location when the ground is still workable in late fall to give adequate time for the seeds to “chill” through the winter. As usual, I’m a little late to the party, but planning on planting my milkweed seeds this week. “Fortunately”, we have plenty of cold days ahead to give your milkweed seeds a period of cold before the gradual warming of spring. (Gardeners are good at putting an optimistic spin on rain or snow!)
When planting your seeds, choose a sunny location. After going through the stratification period, the seeds will also need the warmth of the sun to germinate and eventually flower. Though the caterpillars will only eat the leaves of milkweed plants, adult monarch butterflies and other pollinators will enjoy the nectar of the flowers, making the plant a win/win.
Common milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca) can spread through rhizomes underground, so be sure to choose a spot where you will enjoy it for years to come. You may consider interplanting with other butterfly-friendly plants, since a dense planting will give the rhizomes less room to spread. You can also limit spread by clipping mature seed pods and sharing them with fellow gardeners. Alternatively, you may prefer to plant less aggressive types of native milkweed such as butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) —recognizable by its beautiful orange flowers—and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). These types of milkweed will provide host plants for monarch butterfly caterpillars and attractive flowers for pollinators, but will be more gracious guests in your perennial garden.
We look out the window, pining for brighter, warmer days. But the deceivingly quiet garden isn’t really idle. Like debutantes preparing for the ball, tulips and daffodils are secretly primping underground. Forsythias are forming their yellow flowers, and milkweed seeds are biding their time, knowing the cold winter will release them from their shells, where they will break free and flourish in the spring.
Tammy Thornton is a mom of four, a substitute teacher, and a Sunday school teacher. She is passionate about gardening and cooking, and loves the beach.
