Our popular Monarch Buffet Kit has been updated for Spring '24 and offers eight varieties of natives that support the entire Monarch butterfly life cycle, from egg to adult migration. It contains two different types of milkweed: butterfly weed and rose milkweed. Not only are these milkweeds beautiful, but they are also Larval Hosts for the Monarch and produce delicious nectar for the adults. The selection of plants in this kit will offer nectar from June through October for Monarchs to fuel up before their long trip to Mexico!
Design Tips:
- Allow at least 1 sq ft per plant: 16 sq ft, for example 4' x 4' or 8' x 2'
- Prepare your garden site (follow the link for details)
- A sunny location is an ideal conditions for this grouping
- Plants in this kit will all do well in wet to moderate soil moisture conditions
- Group plants of the same species together
- Consider the height of each plant. Position taller plants at the back and shorter plants at the front.
Kit Contents:
8 varieties, 2 of each plant (total of 16). Details for each variety are below and each is pictured at the left side of your screen in the listed order, beginning just after the monarch cover photo:
2-Butterfly Weed
2-Rose Milkweed
2-Blackeyed Susan
2-Northern Blazing Star
2-Purple Coneflower
2-Showy Goldenrod
2-Joe Pye (pink)
2-New England Aster
The plants in this kit are pictured in order of the list above.
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure – Full, Partial
Soil Moisture - Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Height – 2'
Bloom Time - June-August
Bloom Color – Orange
Attracts - butterflies and native bees
Resistance - deer
Pollinator benefit - Larval host for Monarch butterfly, Grey hairstreak, Queens; good nectar plant
Rose Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure – Full, Partial
Soil Moisture – Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium
Height – 4'
Bloom Time – June, July, August
Bloom Color – Pink
Resistance - Deer
Attracts - butterflies, bees, hummingbirds
Pollinator Benefit - Larval Host for Monarch and Queen butterflies; excellent nectar source for other pollinators; Xerces Society identifies as Special Value to Native Bees and Bumble Bees
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Native Biennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: Up to 3'
Bloom Time: June through October
Bloom Color: Yellow to orange
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts: Beneficial native bees, butterflies, and birds; seeds for birds in fall/winter
Pollinator Benefit: Larval host to Gorgone Checkerspot, Bordered Patch butterfly; good nectar source, valuable to native bees
Powerhouse plant that supports 78 different species!
Northern Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure – Full, Partial
Soil Moisture - Moist, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height – 2ft
Bloom Time - August-September
Bloom Color – Purple
Attracts: Butterflies, bees
Pollinator benefit: especially good for native bees; good nectar plant
Pink Joe Pye (Eutrochium maculatum)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial, Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet
Height: Up to 6'
Bloom Time: July - September
Bloom Color: pink
Deer: Resistant
Drought: Resistant
Attracts: Butterflies, bees, birds
Pollinator benefit: Excellent plant for honey bees and native bees; generous nectar for all nectaring insects; Late season nectar for migrating Monarchs
New England Aster (Symphiotrichum novae-angliae)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 5ft
Bloom Time: August - October
Bloom Color: Purple
Resistant to: Deer, Drought
Attracts: Bees, butterflies, birds
Pollinator benefit: Larval Host Plant for Checkerspot butterfly and various moths, late season nectar producer for migrating Monarchs
Keystone plant that supports 133 Native Pollinators!
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 4'
Bloom Time: July, August, September
Bloom Color: Purple
Tolerate: Deer, drought, heat, humidity and poor soil
Attracts: Butterflies, birds, bees
Pollinator benefit: Host plant for the Ottoe Skipper butterfly; great nectar source for bees and butterflies
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Native Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry, Medium
Soil Type: Loam, Sand
Height: 1'-3'
Bloom Time: August, September, October
Bloom Color: Yellow
Resistance: Deer
Attracts: Butterflies, native bees, birds
Pollinator Benefit: Late season nectar source for migrating Monarchs; value to native bees for pollen and nesting materials;
Keystone plant that supports 177 different native species!