I clip close to the ground. Michigan State did some research involving mowing that was pretty informative. Where I am, in Oklahoma, mowing in late June/early July on roadsides gives fresh, tender growth for the monarchs who lay a bonus generation in August, ahead of the migration.

That’s amazing! Way to go. Yeah, common withdraws nutrients after it blooms and seeds, back down to the rhizomes. If it gets cut back at that point, it sends up fresh growth.

2/2 It does also contain the cardenolides needed to build up toxicity in adults. Interestingly, it shares some of the issues commonly blamed on Tropical mw. I look forward to future studies on this plant, because I think there is a TON of misinformation floating around about tmw. Don’t hate me 😂.

In OK (and TX)we get an influx of reproductive monarchs in Aug and early Sept. At that time, much of the native milkweed has played out. While in the same family (Apicynaceae), Honeyvine (Cynanchum Laeve) is a different genus than Milkweed (Asclepias) and is rigorous in late summer. 1/2

Monarchs have low interest in Tuberosa as a larval host plant. It’s lower in cardinolides and the leaves are harder for the cats to eat. But it’s a fabulous nectar plant and they will use it as a host if others are scarce.