Local Monarch outraged over tropical milkweed invasion: “It’s a disaster for us monarchs!”
Our monarch is angry and heartbroken because he's losing family and friends to a deadly parasite called Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), and they're no longer migrating. But why is Tropical Milkweed such a big problem?
Tropical Milkweed is a harmful, non-native plant sold at most big-box stores. People often buy it thinking they're helping my monarch family. But—what you don’t realize—is that although Tropical Milkweed may be beautiful and bloom year-round in the south, it's really BAD for us!
Because it blooms all year, it stops us from migrating to Mexico, where we meet other monarchs. What's worse, Tropical Milkweed spreads OE, and since it doesn’t die back in winter, we’re exposed to the parasite all year long. OE makes us sick—and eventually, we die! While OE can affect all milkweeds, native milkweeds go dormant in the winter, signaling us to migrate south. This natural cycle helps reduce our exposure to the parasite.
So, our monarch is angry at Tropical Milkweed, and we need YOU HUMANS to HELP by NOT buying or planting it. Instead, we NEED NATIVE MILKWEEDS! There are over a dozen native milkweed species in Florida that you can plant and enjoy, and they’ll help my monarch family thrive. You can find them at Asclepias Acres:
The Angry Monarch's Mission: Save Florida's Ecosystem
The Angry Monarch isn’t just upset—he’s rallying support to protect his home! Monarch butterflies are facing threats from invasive species like tropical milkweed, which disrupts their migration patterns and spreads deadly diseases. As the official spokesperson of Asclepias Acres, the Angry Monarch is spearheading a campaign to ban the sale of tropical milkweed in Florida.
Why Tropical Milkweed is Harmful:
Unlike native varieties, tropical milkweed grows year-round in Florida's warm climate, which encourages monarchs to stay put rather than migrate. This leads to overexposure to parasites and disrupts their life cycle.
Join the Fight!
By banning tropical milkweed and planting native species, we can restore the monarch’s natural migration and improve biodiversity across Florida. Support this movement by signing our petition today!