Johnny Butterflyseed

Botany | Butterfly Farming | English | Gardening | Horticulture | Larval Host Plants | Milkweeds (Asclepias) | Monarch (Danaus plexippus) | News | Press Releases | Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias Curassavica) | Unique Florida | Urban Butterfly Farming
The Real Story Behind One Customer’s “Tropical Milkweed Contamination” Complaint
ByJohnny December 10, 2025December 23, 2025
(and Why It Reveals Everything Wrong with the Current “Anti-Curassavica Crusade” in Florida) In early December 2025 I received an email that has unfortunately become all too common. A well-meaning gardener in Florida wrote to inform me that “tropical milkweed seeds” (Asclepias curassavica) had somehow contaminated the native milkweed seeds she bought from Johnny Butterflyseed….
Read More The Real Story Behind One Customer’s “Tropical Milkweed Contamination” Complaint
Butterfly Farming | Gardening | Horticulture | Showy Milkweed (Asclepias Speciosa)
The Majesty of Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa): A Desert Bloom with a Monarch’s Calling
ByJohnny June 20, 2025June 20, 2025
Plant More Milkweed. Start with Showy.
Read More The Majesty of Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa): A Desert Bloom with a Monarch’s Calling
Butterflies (Papilionoidea) | Butterfly Farming | English | Gardening
Plant to Restore, Not to Decorate
ByJohnny June 20, 2025June 20, 2025
Every spring, the big box stores roll out a rainbow of seedlings under fluorescent lights: petunias, marigolds, zinnias, and “pollinator blends” designed to catch your eye. They’re planted in tight rows, surrounded by mulch dyed red and black, and watered by timer. The neighbors compliment the blooms. The yard wins a prize. The Instagram photo…
Read More Plant to Restore, Not to Decorate
Butterfly Farming | Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) | Milkweeds (Asclepias) | Monarch (Danaus plexippus) | News
Introducing “UnCommon Milkweed” – A Monarch Superhost for Zones 3–8
ByJohnny June 14, 2025June 17, 2025
At Johnny Butterflyseed, we’re thrilled to announce our newest native seed offering: UnCommon Milkweed Seeds (Asclepias syriaca) — a powerful larval host plant for the endangered Monarch Butterfly: Native to the eastern and central U.S., A. syriaca is one of the most important milkweeds for supporting Monarch caterpillars. It produces broad leaves, fragrant summer blooms,…
Read More Introducing “UnCommon Milkweed” – A Monarch Superhost for Zones 3–8
Butterfly Farming | Uncategorized
The Cult of Consensus: How iNaturalist Betrays the Spirit of Citizen Science
ByJohnny June 11, 2025June 17, 2025
Since 2020, I’ve contributed to iNaturalist in good faith—as a naturalist, an ecologist, and someone who values the interconnectedness of all living systems. I joined the platform under the impression that it would amplify local knowledge and expand our collective understanding of biodiversity. What I found instead was an interface-driven cult of consensus, a pseudo-scientific…
Read More The Cult of Consensus: How iNaturalist Betrays the Spirit of Citizen Science
English | Entomology | Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
Misidentification of Swallowtails in the Absence of Host Plants: A Case Study from the Lake Wales Ridge
ByJohnny June 11, 2025December 23, 2025
In the world of citizen science and digital naturalism, there’s a growing reliance on photographic evidence for species identification. Platforms like iNaturalist have democratized biodiversity data collection, but they’ve also opened the door to misidentification when context is ignored—especially ecological context. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the frequent mislabeling of worn swallowtail butterflies,…
Read More Misidentification of Swallowtails in the Absence of Host Plants: A Case Study from the Lake Wales Ridge
Butterfly Farming | English | Gardening | Horticulture | Unique Florida
Creating an Ecological Haven for Warblers: A Gardener’s Guide
ByJohnny April 23, 2025April 23, 2025
By Johnny Butterflyseed Florida is home to a dazzling variety of Warblers—small, energetic songbirds that rely on healthy, interconnected ecosystems to thrive. While these birds are often associated with forests and wetlands, gardeners and landscapers have a unique opportunity to create an ecological space that supports warblers year-round. By planting the right trees, shrubs, and…
Read More Creating an Ecological Haven for Warblers: A Gardener’s Guide
Butterfly Farming | English | Gardening | Horticulture
Why Florida’s “Dollarweed” Deserves a New Name: Meet the Butterflies that Call Hydrocotyle Home
ByJohnny February 24, 2025February 24, 2025
By Johnny Butterflyseed If you’ve spent any time tending a Florida lawn or garden, you’ve likely come across Dollarweed (Hydrocotyle spp.). With its round, shiny leaves resembling silver dollars, it’s often labeled as a nuisance—sprayed, pulled, and cursed. But what if this so-called “weed” is actually a vital part of Florida’s native ecosystem? It’s time…
Read More Why Florida’s “Dollarweed” Deserves a New Name: Meet the Butterflies that Call Hydrocotyle Home