List of Great Falls, MT Native or Nearly Native Milkweeds
Turn your butterfly garden in Great Falls, MT into a butterfly buffet with milkweeds that can be grown in your area. Milkweeds, which host the monarch butterfly, come in a variety of colors and are great nectar plants as well. With milkweeds you get a two for one, an important host plant and an excellent nectar plant. Add milkweed to your list of native plants that can be grown in your garden.
There are six species of native or nearly native species of milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) that can potentially be grown for monarch butterflies and as a nectar plant for other insects. The monarch butterfly uses the cardenolides found in the milky sap of milkweeds to give an unpleasant taste to predators. These plants are also an important nectar source to all insects visiting your pollinator garden.
Location of Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana is located in the west central part of the state. The species covered in this post cover those found in Cascade County.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones in Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana and most of Cascade County are located in plant hardiness zone 4b. A small portion of western and southern Cascade County is located in zone 4a. When selecting plants, you will want to get those that can handle temperatures as cold as -250F to be sure they will survive.
Butterflies in Great Falls, Montana that are hosted by Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
The monarch butterfly has a wingspan of 3 in (7.6 cm) to 5 in (12.7 cm) and is one of the most inconic butterflies in North America. Because of its association with milkweed and its long migration, it is often a bell-weather of changes in the environment. The distinctive orange and black coloring is one that a number of butterflies try to mimic since the monarch is distasteful to predators. The bad taste comes from the ingestion of cardenolides of the milkweed by the butterfly. This butterfly can have several broods in a year and is known for its migrations to Mexico.
List of Milkweeds that are Native or Nearly Native in Great Falls, Montana
1. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), a Milkweed for Moist Soils
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata): Swamp milkweed has two subspecies, ssp. incarnata and ssp. pulchra. The former is found throughout Montana (hardy in zones 3-9), in one county in the east and one in the south (Kartesz 2015). While not native near to Cascade County, this species can handle the plant hardiness zone. Like the name suggests this plant is found in wet places such as the shores of streams, lakes, ponds, and other wetlands. This is one of the taller milkweeds growing from 3 to 5 feet tall. The flowers, which bloom from July to September, are generally a pink to red color, but there is also a white cultivar (pictured below).
In your Great Falls, MT butterfly garden, swamp milkweed it is hardy in zones 3-9, requires full sun to part-shade and prefers moist to medium moisture soil, but can exist in drier soil in a landscape setting. Seeds for swamp milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
2. Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), a Milkweed for Medium to Dry Soils
Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa): Showy milkweed is native throughout Montana and in Great Falls (Kartesz 2015). In the wild, showy milkweed grows mesic to dry open areas such as roadsides, fields, and woodlands. Growing from 1 to 3 feet tall, this plant has purple to pink flowers that bloom from April to June.
In your Great Falls, MT butterfly garden, showy milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9, requires places of full sun having medium to dry well-drained soil. Seeds of showy milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
3. Slim-leaf Milkweed (Asclepias stenophylla), a Milkweed for Dry Soils
Slim-leaf Milkweed (Asclepias stenophylla): Slim-leaf milkweed is native and rare to two counties in southeastern Montana (Kartesz 2015). This milkweed is not native to the Great Falls area and but can handle the plant hardiness zone. In the wild, slim-leaf milkweed grows in open areas with full sun such as prairies and sandy areas. Growing from 0.5 to 3 feet tall, this milkweed has greenish-white flowers that bloom from June to August.
In your Great Falls, MT butterfly garden, slim-leaf milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9, requires full sun and dry sandy or gravelly soils. Seeds of slim-leaf milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
4. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), a Milkweed for All Soils
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca): Common milkweed is adventive to two counties in Montana (Kartesz 2015). While not native to the Great Falls area, it can handle the plant hardiness zone. In the wild, common milkweed grows in open areas such as fields, pastures, and roadsides, where it can receive full sun. Growing up to 6 feet tall, it is one of the taller milkweeds. The flowers range in color from pink, greenish-purple, greenish-white to white and bloom from June to August.
In your Great Falls, MT butterfly garden, common milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9, and grows in almost any exposure and soil condition, though it prefers full sun. Seeds of Common milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
5. Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata), a Milkweed for Medium to Dry Soils
Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata): Whorled milkweed is native to eastern Montana (Kartesz 2015). This species is nearly native to the Great Falls area and can handle the plant hardiness zone. In the wild, whorled milkweed grows in open areas such as meadows and fields, where it can take advantage of full sun. Growing up to 3 feet tall, this milkweed has green to white flowers that bloom from May to September.
In your Great Fall, MT butterfly garden, whorled milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9, requires full sun to part-shade, and medium to dry soil. Seeds of whorled milkweed can be purchased at the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
6. Green Comet Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora), a Milkweed for Medium to Dry Soils
Green Comet Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora): Green comet milkweed is native in scattered areas of Montana, except for the west (Kartesz 2015). This includes the Great Falls area. In the wild, green comet milkweed grows in open areas such as meadows and fields where there is full sun. Growing up to 3 feet, it has flowers that begin as a green color but age to become yellow and purple tinged.
In your Great Falls, MT butterfly garden, green comet milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9, requires full sun to part-shade, and medium to dry sandy soil. Seeds of green comet milkweed can be purchased at the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
When selecting your Great Falls, MT milkweed, be sure to make sure that it grows in your zone and habitat.
Books where you can find out more about Monarchs and Butterfly Gardening in Great Falls, Montana
- Daniels, Jaret C. 2022. Garden Bugs & Insects of the Northwest – Identify Pollinators, Pests, and Garden Visitors. – Adventure Quick Guides. Adventure Publications. 36 pp.
- Daniels, Jaret C. 2020. Butterflies of the Northwest – Your Way to Easily Identify Butterflies – Adventure Quick Guides. Adventure Publications. 23 pp.
- Denver Botanic Gardens. 2024. Pollinators of the American West – A field guide to over 300 Invertebrate Pollinators. Globe Pequot. 320 pp. (will be published in December 2024).
- Elrod, John Morton and Frances Inez Maley. 2022. The Butterflies of Montana with Keys for Determination of Species. Creative Media Partners, LLC. 222 pp.
- Miller, George Oxford. 2024. Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees & Butterflies: Rocky Mountains – Nature Friendly Gardens. Adventure Publications. 280 pp. (will be published in July 2024).
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References for Great Falls, MT Milkweeds
- Kartesz, J.T. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. Taxonomic Data Center. Link to website. Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)]
