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By: Howard Nemerov, Bastrop County Master Gardener
Early indications are that there’s a bumper crop of Monarchs heading our way, due to arrive in early to mid-October. This is the migration generation; they are not coming to reproduce another generation, but to fuel up to continue flying to their overwintering sites in Mexico.
There is research indicating that planting more nectar plants—not just Milkweeds—may sustain Monarch populations.
It’s vital to their survival that Central Texas provides plenty of nectar for these starving Monarchs. We’re dead center in their flight path both fall and spring. The graphic below from Xerces Society shows how Central Texas is the funnel for fall migration for about two-thirds of North American Monarchs.
We can help by providing plenty of nectar flowers throughout Central Texas. Unfortunately, non-native annuals, marigolds and zinnias are not available at big box stores right now. I called and found out. This leaves natives, which is your best long-term solution anyway.
[Note: If buying from big box stores, make sure their plants are certified free of systemic pesticides like neonicotinoids. These chemicals persist, and pollinators will ingest them through the nectar and die. Home Depot and Lowe’s announced they would phase neonicotinoids out by now, but it’s always good to verify; things happen.]
https://www.greenhousemag.com/article/home-depot-to-phase-out-neonics-by-2018/
Monarch Watch compiled a list of late summer into autumn nectar plants. Since they don’t specifically list Central Texas, it’s best to check with USDA Plant Database and Biota of North America Program (BONAP) to see which plants are native to your county. Planting county natives helps ensure your money and time are well-invested, since these plants have figured out how to grow in your area since well before humans settled here. This means they don’t need as much fussing and irrigation to do well.
https://www.monarchwatch.org/garden/plant-list-tx-monarchwatch.pdf
http://bonap.net/NAPA/Genus/Traditional/County
To plan and prepare for future Monarch migrations, Xerces Society produced a list of natives for Central Texas and other regions.
Select your region here: https://xerces.org/monarch-nectar-plants/
Their Central Texas list is here: https://xerces.org/monarch-nectar-plant-guide-southern-plains/
There are other lists available, with some overlap. Again, cross-check these plants with USDA and BONAP to ensure you’re planting a more sustainable garden.
Monarch Butterfly Garden: https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/butterfly-plants/ https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/5-butterfly-flowers-attract-monarchs-and-hummingbirds/
Native Plant Society: https://npsot.org/wp/story/2014/4971/
There’s perhaps nothing more magical than watching Monarchs—and other pollinators—swarm your garden to sip nectar. A little planning and work now will pay huge dividends.