Interested persons can\nimprove the habitats of the Monarchs\u2019 overwintering sites by planting\nnectar-producing plants. As reported earlier, the Xerces Society\u2019s publication\n\u201cCalifornia Coast: Monarch Nectar Plants\u201d (https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/ycsy8jp4<\/a>) lists several good selections. In addition, Pacific\nGrove\u2019s Nectar Plant Project has tested and recommended the following plants: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Importance of Milkweed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As noted earlier, milkweed is\nessential to the wellbeing of Monarch caterpillars. This plant contains toxins\nknown as cardenolides. Monarchs are immune to these toxins, and have evolved to\nstore them in their bodies. The toxin makes them poisonous to birds, which\navoid eating the Monarchs. Without this protection, birds would be major (but\nnot the only) predators of the Monarchs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The adult Monarchs always deposit\ntheir eggs on milkweed plants, so that the larvae begin immediately to eat the\nplants and accumulate the toxin in their bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where to Grow Milkweed Plants <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Western Monarchs mate\naround January, lay their eggs at a wide range of sites throughout the American\nwest, and return to the Pacific coast to overwinter during a four-month period.\nIn the Monterey Bay area, the familiar overwintering sites are at Natural\nBridges State Beach and Pacific Grove. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Other Monarchs have a\ndifferent migration route. It begins in the northern United States and southern\nCanada, and continues to overwintering sites in Mexico. )<\/p>\n\n\n\n Milkweeds are needed where\nthe Monarchs lay their eggs. Milkweed grows naturally in Monarch breeding\nareas, but not at the overwintering sites on California\u2019s central or northern\ncoastal areas. The migration cycle moves between the breeding areas to the\noverwintering sites. Planting milkweed close to overwintering sites could\nencourage Monarchs to breed and lay eggs during the winter, and thereby disrupt\nthe migration cycle. Given this concern, the Xerces Society and other experts\nrecommend that milkweed should not be planted with 5-to-10 miles of an\noverwintering site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Which Milkweed Plants to Grow <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The milkweed genus Asclepias\nincludes over 200 species. California native species that grow naturally near\nthe Western Monarchs\u2019 home territory are preferred. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Widely Available Species <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Other\nCalifornia Native Species <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Avoid\nTropical Milkweed (A. curassavica), which is evergreen, but which allows development\nof a protozoan parasite (Ophryocystis elektroscirrho) that harms or even kills Monarchs\nthat eat the plant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gardeners in the Monterey Bay area who wish to improve the Monarchs\u2019\nhabitat should emphasize the planting of nectar-producing plants more than\nmilkweed. Those plants are good for bees, as well. This would be a good year to\nplant annual seeds in the early spring. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This column follows the previous column about ways to reduce the threat of extinction of Monarch butterflies. Readers\u2019 responses to that column indicated strong interest in protecting the Monarchs that overwinter in the Monterey Bay area, enhancing our environment. Readers … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/ongardening.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Daisy-Tree-Montanoa-grandiflora.jpg?fit=584%2C779\")
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\nDaisy Tree (Montanao Grandiflora)<\/p>\n\n\n\n