Quote:
Originally Posted by Cisco Kid
Hi Scookey
Please ask the Butterfly Club what they think about tropical milkweed.
It is not native and that some scientists say that growing it in border states can disrupt the monarch migration.
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I can answer based on UF research...
The bottom line is that Any milkweeD is better than no milkweed.
Given the state of declining populations, UF would have you plant tropical if you are unabe to locate native milkweed.
The research is not clear, but indicates a possibility that non native milkweed dies back late and may encourage butterflies to stay here onstead of migrating.
Their recommendation for those who plant tropicals is to cut them back after the fifth generation larvae are raised...here in TV that would be about September.
I have two natives species and the tropical. My heart breaks when there is no food, so I am growing extra milkweed in the lanai to save for the later generations.