(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
Plant More Milkweed. Start with Showy.
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
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
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
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
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
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
Let’s be clear: Tropical Milkweed is indeed a Florida-native species within USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10 and above.