“ There’s the famous milkweed that the Monarch’s rely on “ My name is Liam O’Brien ( Susan did a blog on my work awhile back with butterflies in the park.) This milkweed she is referring to in the Bot Garden is Tropical Milkweed ( Asclepias curassivica ) the milkweed we used to plant to help the Monarch but we’ve now know hinders the butterfly in its flight through our city annually. It needs to be cut back annually by a volunteer starting in July as we dont want the Monarchs who annually nectar in the rain forest above it to be breeding here. I know this is counterintuitive for many that want “to help” the Monarch but milkweed has never been a part of SF county: the butterfly historically passed through, nectared and overwintered here but never breed. In the bigger picture we want our contribution to the conservation of this species to be correct. I understand this is a botanical garden with examples of many foreign plants. There is an easy solution - someone needs to cut it back every season no later than July when the Monarchs start returning. I also understand that this is rough when staff is stretched thin. Ive been monitoring this overwintering roast/resting spot for the Xerces Society for two decades. They have been trying to get folks to remove this plant for awhile. Plant the native milkweeds that go dormant in the fall.
Liam -- Thanks for that context. It reminds me how nuanced and difficult the work of conservation work can be. I hope the folks at SFBG are listening.
I hope those Eastern Gray Squirrels paid their muni fare to get here. Damn freeloading European tourists.
This is so wonderful.
“ There’s the famous milkweed that the Monarch’s rely on “ My name is Liam O’Brien ( Susan did a blog on my work awhile back with butterflies in the park.) This milkweed she is referring to in the Bot Garden is Tropical Milkweed ( Asclepias curassivica ) the milkweed we used to plant to help the Monarch but we’ve now know hinders the butterfly in its flight through our city annually. It needs to be cut back annually by a volunteer starting in July as we dont want the Monarchs who annually nectar in the rain forest above it to be breeding here. I know this is counterintuitive for many that want “to help” the Monarch but milkweed has never been a part of SF county: the butterfly historically passed through, nectared and overwintered here but never breed. In the bigger picture we want our contribution to the conservation of this species to be correct. I understand this is a botanical garden with examples of many foreign plants. There is an easy solution - someone needs to cut it back every season no later than July when the Monarchs start returning. I also understand that this is rough when staff is stretched thin. Ive been monitoring this overwintering roast/resting spot for the Xerces Society for two decades. They have been trying to get folks to remove this plant for awhile. Plant the native milkweeds that go dormant in the fall.