Tropical Milkweed Controversy

[@musicalADD_theband]

THANK YOU!! I’ve been saying this for years, and I’ve been raising monarchs for decades.

[@musicalADD_theband]

Every songle time that I’ve ever gotten any symptoms that are what is described as OE one of my neighbors had pest control spray around the house.

[@bustinwheels]

Thank you so much for posting your video. I have tropical milkweed all around my home, don't know where it came from, but the entire neighborhood has it! We have monarchs flying around left and right in my neighborhood and I have been sharing my seeds now. I respect David James' opinion. My father was from Michoacan, Mexico and said there were many butterflies and milkweed in his home state and that is where monarchs migrate to from other places in the USA. I am really sad that there is so much criticism and negativity about tropical milkweed from people that are not entomologists and are sending the wrong message to us gardeners!

[@ChristianPatriotGrandma]

Thank you so much for your video. I was beginning to panic because I just planted three tropical milkweed in a raised garden bed that seem to be thriving, but I’m realizing now they are loaded with aphids. I also realize those are different than the parasites you are talking about here, but I was so discouraged seeing all the aphids I wasn’t sure what to do but in my research. It seems that the presence of aphids can mean the plant was not heavily sprayed with pesticides, which is a good thing. What should I do about the aphids though?

[@NataliesBalletFolklorico]

Thank u

[@theherbalashpot4194]

Thank you so much for this because I got ostracized for saying that I am starting tropical milkweed in my area. I’m in the south. I felt so bad because I didn’t want to harm the butterflies but my granddaddy directed me to your video.

[@musicalADD_theband]

@@theherbalashpot4194 I’ve been raising monarchs for about 25 years, and I’ll have people that have no idea what they’re talking about lecture me on my use of tropical milkweed 😑

[@omarcontreras8888]

where specifically are the problem southern US areas??

[@musicalADD_theband]

That’s the thing that’s the thing, there aren’t any specific ones

[@tjlastname5192]

Everyone is looking for conversation bias in this topic. I’ve seen sources backing up what this video is saying, and ones that say they did see monarchs laying eggs on them after they stopped with natives. I think k it matters a lot about where you live. If you live in the North, probably not a big deal as long as you cut them back in the fall. If you live in the south, I wouldn’t chance it.

[@smithsgardentown]

I’m just glad you’re open minded enough to look into studies. Most people only read a headline then run with it.

[@tjlastname5192]

@@smithsgardentown one of the studies I read was out of Texas so that part about tropical milkweed hosting monarch’s when they should be migrating may be true for that area. They use the sun to trigger migration, but I can’t say that plants play zero role.