Monarch Butterfly & Passion Vine

Monarch

• The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) has become a creature of legend because of its amazing annual fall migration that takes it nearly 2,000 miles from the northern U.S. and southern Canada to regions in California and central Mexico. Monarchs' wings are bright orange with black markings and it stuns the senses to see entire trees hung with them in overwintering areas. Like other butterflies, monarchs start from eggs, then emerge as caterpillars that feed on milkweed (Asclepias spp.) leaves.

Milkweed

• Adult monarchs feed on nectar from many flowers, but are most closely associated with milkweeds, wildflowers that grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on the species. Although there are more than 100 species of milkweed in the U.S., only 30 are appreciated by the monarch. The butterflies also lay their eggs on the plant and their larvae emerge to feed on the milkweed plants until they become butterflies. The destruction of milkweed by herbicides used in agriculture and roadside management is one of the reasons for the decline in the monarch population. Dr. Chip Taylor, a director of Monarch Watch and a professor of entomology at University of Kansas, estimates the nation is losing 6,000 acres of milkweed habitat every day. You can plant milkweed help the monarch survive.

Gulf Fritillary

• The Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) is a large butterfly with orange wings marked in black that can be mistaken for the monarch. If you look closely at the rear wings of this butterfly, you will see silvery spots that clearly distinguish the Gulf fritillary from its more famous cousin. The Gulf fritillary is also a migratory species and masses of adults head to the warmth of South Florida in fall. Like the monarch, the Gulf fritillary is closely associated with one plant, but this butterfly prefers the passion vine. It lays eggs in the passion vine and its larvae develop on the plant as well.

Passion Vine

• It grows faster than almost any other vine, but passion vine still has time to produce flowers that look like works of art. The flower structure of this North American native is beautiful and complex, with 3-inch petals colored an extravagant lavender blue that look like crimped fringe around a fleshy white stigma. Each of the myriad flowers grow on short stalks from the central vine stem. The deciduous perennial rises every spring by attaching itself with tendrils to lift itself and climb. Passion vine grows in USDA zones 6 though 9.