monarchs and swan plants

[John Lane]

Dear J. Smith:
    Could your "Swan Plant" be what I am told in its native South Africa is
popularly called "Old Man's Balls" for the odd appearance of its long and
scraggly-haired fruits?  i.e. Gomphocarpus fruticosus (or Asclepias fruticosus)
(Asclepiadaceae).
    Monarchs are attracted to oviposit upon members of this family of plants
exclusively.  This species is listed in the popular U.S. "Sunset" Garden Book as
"Swan Plant" and it regularly attracts ovipositing monarchs in gardens along the
central California coast.
    My source for the colorful common name is Dr. Smithers of the Natural
History Museum in Sydney, Australia, himself of South Africa, as I recall, from
a 1983 visit when I was interested in the overwintering phenomenon in Australian
monarchs.
John Lane
johnlane at nccn.net

Jsbtfly at aol.com wrote:

> A friend of mine in New Zealand was describing how she had planted a "swan
> plant" which attracted Monarchs like crazy this past NZ summer. She said she
> saw lots of caterpillars all summer and is still seeing them as it cools
> down. She reported that most of them would pupate on the side of her house
> near the plant. Also that many New Zealanders get this plant for the purpose
> of attracting Monarchs.
> Is anyone familiar with this plant, and Monarch attraction to it? (I included
> a bit of her description below)
>
> J. Smith
>
> << They call it a swan plant here. Very different looking. Not something you
> would plant for its beauty as it has a small slender leaf, small bell like
> flowers, followed by these pouches. All in the same green. I guess the
> caterpillers like the leaves. Yes, they are monarchs. I think I may have read
> that monarchs have been introduced to NZ. >>
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