Where are the Monarchs?
They are HERE, at the Nursery!
We know that milkweed plants are essential for Monarch caterpillars—larvae—that’s the only native plant that the larvae eat. But, WOW, we are thrilled to see that the current favorite native plant for the Monarch butterflies appears to Liatris aspera, or Rough Blazing Star, a button-type blazing star with clusters, or buttons, of flowers emerging up the stem.
I love this plant! Flowering later than the more common Blazing Star, Liatris spicata, the Rough Blazing Star plants in both our retail area and our steep bank ‘Tapestry Garden’ are magnets for Monarchs.