The butterfly gardens are crawling with monarch caterpillars this month, which is so encouraging to see.

This caterpillar is hanging on while munching away on a flower that has yet to open on a giant milkweed. The giant milkweed has become a must have in the garden, as it provides an abundance of food for the ever hungry caterpillar.

The giant milkweed is also known as the crown flower and is native to Asia and Africa. Mature plants can grow up to 15 feet tall and wide and is very hardy plant as it tolerates both the hot sun and wonderfully sandy soil of Florida.

This giant milkweed has been in the garden for a year now and is quite tall and does really well in full sun. I also use this plant for cuttings for the butterfly house, which is encouraging a great deal of new growth. I have also found that keeping the stems in water produces roots, making it easy to plant in the garden and encourage more growth.