What do YOU plant to attract Monarchs?

[ducks4you]

I see them here every year. I THINK they like my blue salvia, but I would like to know if any of you plant for them, and What you plant. I just watched Mid American Gardener and one of their Extension office people showed a reddish-orange small flowered plant that sounded like fire flower, but I forgot to write it down. Any ideas? They liked it bc the milkweed is finished by now, but this flower keeps going until the frost. Thanks!!!

 

[ninnymary]

I plant milkweed for caterpillars. That’s the only plant they feed on. For butterfly’s I plant million firecrackers, yarrow, lantana, cone flower, and wild fushia.

Mary

 

[digitS']

I saw a Monarch in October, 2014!

They rarely come this far north on the west side of the Rockies.

It must require many months, several generations, and the right kind of weather. He/she was in my zinnias but would fly over the neighbor's raspberry jungle if I so much as made a move in that direction.

I doubt if we will have any more sustained good weather tempting the butterfly population. There were very few of any species this year. Drought, monoculture, etc. must have been too much for them.

Steve

 

[Zeedman]

I don't intentionally plant anything for butterflies, but monarchs were all over the runner beans this year... often 3-4 at a time. They were competing with the hummingbirds, but fortunately there were enough flowers to share.

 

[Beekissed]

We have a very large mimosa tree they love and they also love our zinnias.

 

[so lucky]

I plant milkweed for caterpillars. That’s the only plant they feed on. For butterfly’s I plant million firecrackers, yarrow, lantana, cone flower, and wild fushia.

Mary

@ninnymary, what does million firecrackers look like? I tried to look it up, but didn't get a definite pic. Is it a shrub or an annual, bulb, perennial?

 

[thistlebloom]

Is it a fuchshia?

 

[ninnymary]

Cuphea Mexican Firecracker perennial.

 

[flowerbug]

View attachment 28693 Cuphea Mexican Firecracker perennial.

Mexican... not too likely to work for us here in the north country... but i like it!

 

[thistlebloom]

Mexican... not too likely to work for us here in the north country... but i like it!

They are sold as annuals here, pot stuffers mostly. Hummers like them.