While awareness is rising around the⦠How do Chemicals in Milkweed Benefit Monarchs? What is the Xerces Societyâs position on this milkweed species? Unfortunately, milkweed often has a bad reputation. The bad taste and toxicity of both the larvae and adults are advertised by conspicuous, warning coloration. It is Tall White Aster, Symphyotrichum lanceolatum , and the good news is, it is actually what the Monarchs need more at certain times of the year than Asclepias. Is tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) bad for monarchs? Since milkweed species have varying needs for sun, water and space, pay extra attention to growing requirements. Hello everyone, This week another bombshell study was published in the monarch world, this time about the effects of tropical milkweed (yes, that again). Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on just one type of plant, and thatâs milkweed (genus Asclepias). When a bird or other predator tastes a monarch, it learns to associate this color pattern with the bad taste, and avoids preying on monarchs in the future. Click to see full answer Also question is, which milkweed is bad for monarchs? A: What you have here is not a milkweed. In Southern California, gardeners have milkweed choices when outdoor plant shopping.For decades the most common milkweed species in our gardens has been a Central American species sometimes called Tropical Milkweed, or more correctly Asclepias currassivica.It is a magnet for monarchs and even a single plant in a garden will soon display a few colorful caterpillars dining on its leaves. Tropical milkweed is not native to the U.S. but is sold by many plant nurseries and is frequently planted in gardens. I would like to have milkweed plants for Monarch butterflies. And like all previous studies on this plant, this one is sure to generate some interest, controversy, flak, and rankling. Monarch caterpillars that fed on Asclepias curassavica, or tropical milkweed, lost 77 percent of their tolerance to protozoan parasites. Instead, the parasite infected migratory monarchs may have dropped out of the long journey for health reasons and instead of dying off, found a nice, cushy place to rest in the tropical milkweed. T The most recent article about the monarch butterfly in the New York Times has once again raised the question of whether we should be planting non-native milkweed. The milkweed being discussed was the tropical variety most widely available in the usual stores, Asclepias curassavica, known commonly as Scarlet or Tropical milkweed. Itâs helpful to have a diverse selection of native milkweed and flowering plants, but avoid tropical milkweed (A. curassavica). 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