Plant Ecology, Seed Production Methods, and Habitat Restoration Opportunities

Monarch butterflies need milkweed. In addition to being the obligate food source for monarch caterpillars, milkweeds also provide abundant nectar for the adult butterflies, as well as bees and other beneficial insects. However, like many other native plant species, milkweeds are disappearing from the landscape in the wake of urban development and agricultural intensification. This Xerces Society guide shows how to bring back our milkweeds and restore habitat for monarch butterflies. Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner’s Guide is a first-of-its kind manual on large-scale milkweed seed production, nursery propagation, and field restoration of the plants.



The information in Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner’s Guide is gathered from interviews with native plant nurseries and seed producers, gained firsthand through Project Milkweed, and synthesized from scientific literature. It provides conservation professionals with information about optimizing milkweed seed production methods, offers guidance on incorporating milkweeds into restoration and revegetation efforts, and highlights milkweeds’ unique characteristics and value to wildlife. Native seed producers, restoration practitioners, land managers, monarch conservationists, gardeners, and landowners will all find this guide valuable.