Today, Kansas City Mayor Sly James is asking everyone to plant milkweed on “Milkweed for Monarchs Day” to help save the pollinators.
The mayor made the proclamation at 9 a.m. today at Ilus Davis Park, just north of City Hall at 414 E. 12th St. A pollinator garden there features several kinds of milkweed, the host plant for monarch butterflies.
“Monarch butterflies breed in Kansas City, and we’re in the critical path on their long migration from Mexico to Canada,” James said. “This is our butterfly, and its numbers are down more than 90 percent because we’ve destroyed its habitat. We need every Kansas Citian to help monarchs survive by planting milkweed every year on June 1. Even if you live in an apartment, a pot of milkweed on the deck provides the only food monarch caterpillars can eat.”
In December, James signed the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, joining the mayors of Austin, Dallas, Oklahoma City, St. Louis and other cities along the monarchs’ 3,000-mile migration path. The pledge, created by the National Wildlife Federation, commits these cities to 25 actions such as establishing monarch habitat, educating citizenry, and creating policies to support the declining butterfly.
“Kansas City has already completed most of the monarch pledge actions,” said James. “Our city has a strong commitment to natural ecosystems, and many groups working on the problem. But we still need every citizen to plant.”
While milkweed is necessary for monarch caterpillars to feed, the butterflies need a sequence of bloom from other plants, such as purple coneflower, asters, liatris and goldenrod, which are all available at local nurseries.
In 2016, a Kansas City group led by Burroughs Audubon and including KCMO Parks and Recreation, Kansas City Power & Light, Bridging The Gap, Johnson County Parks and Recreation, Powell Gardens, the Kansas City Native Plant Initiative, Westport Garden Club, Platte County Land Trust, Grow Native and Missouri Department of Transportation are working to create more than 1,000 acres of monarch habitat. On May 19, a native plant pollinator garden, which supports monarchs and other beneficial insects, was installed at Loose Park near the rose garden.
At the proclamation ceremony, James sported a hand-painted, monarch butterfly bow tie, presented to him for his collection by Bridging The Gap, a Kansas City environmental non-profit. He reminded the audience that the name of Kansas City’s Negro Leagues baseball team was the Monarchs.
“I think Satchel Paige would have planted some milkweed. I plan to,” said James.
For online information about supporting monarch butterflies and other beneficial insects, go to Grow Native, Monarch Watch, or Burroughs Audubon Society.
Photo: Volunteers planted milkweed in at Ilus Davis Park across the street from City Hall.
Where can we buy milkweed locally? Is there a program offering the plants to Kansas Citians?
The gorgeous butterfly milkweed donated today was grown by Rhodes Greenhouse who supply KC’s local and independent nurseries; Soil Service on Troost, Heartland Nursery and the Grass Pad locations. I heard milkweed deliveries were taking place at the same time the mayor was speaking today !
They have a nice selection of milkweed and other pollinator friendly plants at Antioch Urban Growers 816-699-4953.
check this guide from GrowNative! for sources of plants important to all pollinators-all across the state of Missouri. http://grownative.org/resource-guide/
when buying milkweed and other pollinator food sources, please verify the plants have been grown by the nurseries without using neonicotinoids (neonics for short) which remain in the plant material and are poisonous to the butterflies and other insects you are intending to help. if the nursery doesn’t know, then just say no. and go somewhere selling safe plants. and if you buy or read one book on ‘gardening’ this year, read Bringing Nature Home by Dr Doug Tallamy.
hi–i am an employee at the Soil Service garden center and can testify that we have plenty of monarch milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) in stock right now! organically grown, of course….