https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-monarch-butterflies.htm
In recent years, the decline in monarch butterfly populations has been of specific interest. Many gardeners ask how to attract monarch butterflies. Which plants do monarch butterflies like? Find the answers to these questions in the following article.
I managed to get a single swamp milkweed plant last year (local garden center was selling out of them). I'm happy to report that it survived the winter, and has come back this year larger than before! I hope I can add to it this year.
I got two swamp milkweed. I don't know if it'll attract em but they're growing big and strong. If not this year, maybe next year after they do their migration
I've found the swamp milkweed is the only one that attracts monarchs. I've had butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in my yard forever but I didn't see any butterflies until I planted the swamp milkweed.
However, the butterfly population varies and some years I see no butterflies. Here's hoping I see at ta few this year!
So lucky. I’ve been admiring hollyhocks this year and I promised myself I would plant them by next year. So gorgeous! What milkweed do you grow? I have butterfly milkweed. The native one is showy milkweed but it’s just not taking off in my garden
I just let the native one grow, I'm not actually sure what variety it is but I encourage it and spread the seeds around each fall. The hollyhocks tried to take over the whole garden this year, I had to pull some out, but those that are left are almost 3 feet tall already (the leaves, no flower spikes yet). We've been getting a lot of rain here.
I tried to grow butterfly weed this year but we got a heat wave when I was out of town and when I came back it had shrived. I plan to try again next year though!
We grow a large patch of milkweed each year at the bottom of our driveway. This picture is from last year, July 10th.
