Conservation // 2 min Read

Gardening for Nature: Milkweeds

Written by Palmetto Bluff

Beaufort County is home to roughly a dozen species of milkweed, three of which have been documented growing wild at Palmetto Bluff.

The genus Asclepias earned the common name “milkweed” from the sticky, milky-white substance that is excreted from broken parts of the plant. This substance is toxic if ingested by people and dogs, but monarch butterfly caterpillars have adapted to consume the leaves and toxins found within this plant. In return, their diet makes the young monarchs unpalatable to birds and other predators. However, monarch populations have been in decline, as a result of a loss of habitat and loss of milkweed. This downward trend in monarch sightings and the joy people experience from watching them flit around the garden has inspired many homeowners to plant milkweed in their flower beds. This unique addition to the garden provides food for both the caterpillars and the adults.

The efforts to attract monarchs and help their population has increased the availability of some species of milkweed at local nurseries. Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is one of the most common species sold in the Southeast, while common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is more prominent in northern plant nurseries. Other species commonly sold at nurseries include whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).

There is one more species of milkweed that has become commonplace at nurseries, and it is known as tropical milkweed or blood flower (Asclepias curassavica). This species, native to Central and South America, has become highly popular in North America due to its more evergreen behavior and ease of cultivation. However, this has been connected with an increase in monarchs becoming non-migratory and staying year-round in places with an abundance of tropical milkweed. It has also been linked to some monarch pathogens becoming more prevalent as the pathogens would typically die back with the plants in winter, but this is not the case with tropical milkweed. The easiest and best solution is to plant native species, as these plants will die back close to winter, killing the pathogens along with them, and the monarchs will be more inclined to migrate.

Residents of Beaufort County may be interested in planting any of the following native species of milkweed:

• Aquatic Milkweed (Asclepias perennis)

• Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) – documented at Palmetto Bluff

• Carolina Milkweed (Asclepias cinerea)

• Clasping Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) – documented at Palmetto Bluff

• Fewflower Milkweed (Asclepias lanceolata)

• Longleaf Milkweed (Asclepias longifolia)

• Michaux’s Milkweed (Asclepias michauxii)

• Pineland Milkweed (Asclepias obovata)

• Pinewoods Milkweed (Asclepias humistrata) – documented at Palmetto Bluff

• Savannah Milkweed (Asclepias pedicellata)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)

%GALLERY%

Architecture & Design
Moreland Village: Laid Back Luxury

Palmetto Bluff’s Moreland Village feels a world away from the more traditional architecture of the iconi...

Jun 2025

Culture
2025 Inspiring the Arts Scholarship Recipients

We are thrilled to introduce the inaugural winners of the Inspiring the Arts Scholarship—three extraordinary young women pursuing their artistic dreams through higher education! Katherine Donahue has been named our first official scholarship recipient, wit...

Jun 2025

Culture
Summer Style in the Bluff: Discover What’s New in Retail

From handmade jewelry to performance wear, the latest arrivals at Palmetto Bluff’s retail spots capture the season in true Lowcountry style. This summer, the Bluff’s shops are full of fresh finds, carefully chosen by our trusted retailers—including FLOW Galler...

Jun 2025

Conservation
Citizen Science

Citizen Science is Thriving at Palmetto BluffDid you know that residents of Palmetto Bluff are playing a vital role in national and global conservation efforts—all from their backyard?Through the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy’s growing Citizen Science programs, c...

Jun 2025

Artist in Residence
Music Mosaic

In October 2024, Grammy Award-winning musician Clay Ross visited Palmetto Bluff as part of The Arts Initiative's Artist in Residence Program. Through storytelling and song, he explores identity, heritage, and the universal language of sound. By Barry Kaufman ...

Jun 2025

Food & Wine
Peach Perfect

Palmetto Bluff Club Executive Chef  Beth Cosgrove and Director of Culinary, Chef Rhy Waddington, Cook Up Four Peachy Recipes for a Summer in the South. Is there anything more iconic than a southern peach? A symbol of summer and Southern heritage, the peach car...

Jun 2025

Culture
Finding Fish

Following the tides and angling for redfish in Lowcountry creeks and estuaries with Captains Brian Vaughn and Will Stephens Story by Sandy Lang It is a sunny morning in October and the water is calm and glassy. The silence is punctuated by a gush of breath f...

Jun 2025
home upkeep checklist

Real Estate
Get Ahead of Spring Cleaning: How to Upkeep Your Luxury Lowcountry Home

7 Ways To Upkeep Your Palmetto Bluff Home As spring arrives in the Lowcountry, the change in season brings more than blooming marshlands and sun-drenched afternoons; it’s also a perfect time to refresh and care for your Palmetto Bluff home. Coastal living mea...

May 2025

Discover the Next Great Chapter in Golf Course Design, Only at Palmetto Bluff

When the land speaks, you listen. And at Palmetto Bluff, it spoke to two of golf’s most legendary course designers—Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. We invite you to watch our newest video, shot this past winter and featuring Bill and Ben, along with South Street P...

May 2025
home renovations 2025

Architecture & Design
Renovations That Will Increase Your Home’s Value in 2025

5 Renovations to Increase the Value of Your Lowcountry Home Whether Palmetto Bluff is your full-time residence or a cherished retreat, deciding to sell is never a quick or casual choice. However, when the time does come, you want your home to be as market-rea...

May 2025

CURIOUS ABOUT LIFE AT THE BLUFF?

Sign up for our newsletter

LIVE
Community Villages
Experience
Palmetto Bluff Club
On The Water
The Arts Initiative
Events
Conserve
About Us