[photo credit: Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy]
Milkweed is the only plant on which monarch butterflies will lay eggs and the only plant their caterpillars will eat. The conservancy is distributing California-native milkweeds — narrow-leaf and woolypod — rather than the tropical milkweed sold at most big-box nurseries. Native milkweeds die back in late fall, which interrupts the lifecycle of a parasite known to deform or kill monarchs. Tropical milkweed remains green year-round and disrupts the monarch’s natural migration south.
Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy describes the giveaway as part of its Monarch Recovery Project, which aims to help save Western monarchs through habitat restoration and free milkweed events. The conservancy says monarch populations have plummeted by more than 85% in recent years due to habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change. The organization tracks where its donated milkweed gets planted and monitors its survival with the help of biologists. Funding for the project comes in part from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
The Theodore Payne Foundation is a nonprofit native plant nursery and educational center in Sun Valley dedicated to the beauty and ecological benefits of California native plants. Visitors who want to start a pollinator garden — or simply add a few milkweeds to an existing one — will find expert staff on site to answer questions about planting, watering and ongoing care.
Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy free milkweed giveaway will run on Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St., Sun Valley. For more information, visit arroyosfoothills.org. Admission is free, while supplies last
