Monarch Sanctuary Project

Monarch Sanctuary Project Creating sanctuaries of support for monarch butterflies through central Texas.

Best life right here for these two fat cats. They should be filling up within the next day or 2.Zizotes is such a rockst...
03/25/2026

Best life right here for these two fat cats. They should be filling up within the next day or 2.

Zizotes is such a rockstar milkweed. Look at those lush 🍃 leaves!

03/25/2026

We’re officially calling this an unofficial production - as they have supported our initiatives from day 1, at every turn. Including hosting our Wildflowers and Wings event suuuper last minute!

It seemed perfectly fitting that our Garden Giveaway recipients were able to park their cars and load up their native garden giveaway plant kits curbside-style, y’all. That’s 600 sq ft of habitat going back where it belongs!

And the Milkweed Giveaway? It was such a bittersweet feeling to say goodbye to 1000 of our beloved milkweed! But what a thing to imagine the roots of those native plants soldiering their way under the ground, into your gardens and across our ecoregions.

As always, we loved providing digestible education for all ages and walks of life. Yep, we even had celebrity guests! Monarchs, in any stage, have this delightful way of inspiring curiosity and wonder in all of us.

And on this beautiful first day of spring, the Monarchs (and H-E-B) brought so many unique people together. New friends, old friends, family: Community. In support of such a noble cause:

For the Monarchs. For the Milkweeds! And for the survival of their great migration.

They grow up so dang fast (sniff, sniff).For anyone who participated, the names of our current caterpillar buddies are: ...
03/24/2026

They grow up so dang fast (sniff, sniff).

For anyone who participated, the names of our current caterpillar buddies are: Brat 🌭, Pip, Squish and Tópe. 🐛 🐛 🐛 🐛

These little ones are 1st generation Monarch caterpillars that will live 4-6 weeks. Their job #1 is to move the northern migration relay race up a state or 2. They'll mate along the way and females will lay 300-500 eggs! Of those 300-500 eggs, only 1-3% of them will make it to adult butterfly stage in their metamorphosis to push the migration even further north. They have big work to do!

If you're wondering if I burrowed myself into the soil to get this shot, maybe. Maybe, I did.

💪🏽🌱 Want to start a riot in the garden? Want to impact real change? Join the Monarch Sanctuary Project to learn how to b...
03/24/2026

💪🏽🌱 Want to start a riot in the garden? Want to impact real change? Join the Monarch Sanctuary Project to learn how to bring alllll the butterflies to your habitat this year! Attendees will each receive 1 free, native nectar plant to provide a food source for pollinators. 🌼

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just habitat-curious, this presentation has something for everyone! You’ll learn, create, and help the monarch migration thrive by contemplating your own native habitat, whether it’s in a pot or in the ground.

📅 Sunday, March 29
🕐 4:30-5:30
📍 Cedar Park Public Library

👀👉 This program is for ages 18 and up only. Space is limited to the first 60 attendees. First come, first served. Will there be quiz questions? YES. Will there be prizes, too? ALSO, YES.

Triple cool points if you show up dressed as your favorite pollinator.... 🦇 🐝 🦋

ASL Interpretation will be available at this program.

⚠️ 📢 🚨 NEW LOCATION FOR OUR 3/21 EVENT!!!Why Here: We LOVE ! They’re one of our biggest supporters AND the sponsor of ou...
03/16/2026

⚠️ 📢 🚨 NEW LOCATION FOR OUR 3/21 EVENT!!!

Why Here: We LOVE ! They’re one of our biggest supporters AND the sponsor of our Garden Giveaway & Native Milkweed Giveaway programs! Additionally, due to the current water emergency restrictions in Pflugerville, we want to be respectful of not over-taxing the current resource capacity of a city we care so deeply for.

Come join us for Wildflowers and Wings: A Spring Celebration! This is an exciting day on so many levels. We’re celebrating the northern Monarch migration AND the spring equinox. 

📅 Saturday, March 21
🕑 10:00am-1:00pm
📌🌎 H-E-B PLUS @ Lakeline 14028 US N HWY 183
🫂 Open to the public!

Hey, hey, it’s pickup day for our Garden Giveaway and Native Milkweed recipients!

But wait! There’s more: 

Maybe you’d like to learn more about monarchs in general or more about what we do as an organization. Monarchs and milkweed are literally our favorite things to talk about, so…. Come peruse our education table and snap a picture with Mortimer, our mascot! 

We’ll be selling loads of Monarch-approved native nectar plants, MSP merch (including habitat signs!) and super cute Monarch-themed gifts. Full plant list coming closer to the event. 

We’re so grateful to for sponsoring our Giveaway efforts. Because of their generosity, we’ve gifted over 40 native gardens to date, and this year, 1000 free native milkweeds are being put back where they belong! It’s not nearly enough, but I like to think we’re creating solid little sanctuaries of support, don’t you? Together, we really can make a difference. 

Hope to see you on Saturday, March 21st between 10-1pm!

03/15/2026

4 surprise Monarch "freshies" on Asclepias texana (Texas milkweed)!!! Texana is one of our only shade-loving milkweeds.

Ps- I call them freshies. They are technically 1st instar caterpillars. They will shed their skin 4 times for a total of 5 instar stages before pupating into a chrysalis.

No, those tiny plants aren't enough to support the 2 weeks of chomping needed, but I have several larger plants nearby for rehoming.

03/12/2026

Do you want to hear a story of kismet collaboration and a garden that practically built itself?

Roll it back to the end of January. Here at MSP, we were busy growing our milkweeds, planning the spring season events and giveaways.

At the same time, Allison Wilcoxen (owner of and long-time MSP team member), and I were in the middle of launching a heart-throb of a tiny new native garden design business we’re calling .

A friend, John Kendall, said he was applying for a grant to create a pollinator garden on behalf of in Liberty Hill next to their Interpretive Center.. Have you BEEN to RRCP? It’s gorgeous. He asked if MSP would be willing to help source the native milkweeds and did we have any suggestions for the design.

Our Native Muse gears started spinning and an energy began to swirl around this project. We created a design we loved. For fun. A design that reflected the aesthetic integrity of the park. We designed with native plants that represent our local ecoregion and support loads of biodiversity. We knew the park had access to huge limestone rocks and the machinery to move them, so we incorporated those into the design. We chose a Cor-Ten edging to match the classy, rustic signage throughout the park.

John presented our vision to the board of directors. They loved it and said, “Go!”

Have you ever worked on something and you feel a surge of momentum? Like the Universe is nodding in approval and clearing paths for you left and right? When we feel that, we’ve learned to listen to it.

We acquired the plants, ordered the edging, and carefully selected and placed the perfect rocks (thanks to the fabulous parks crew). We prepared the ground and installed the steel edging with the help of some seriously committed Texas Master Naturalist volunteers, then backfilled the defined spaces with decomposed granite and a blend of compost mulch. When we saw we had rains coming our way in a few days, 7 powerhouse Goodwater Naturalists rallied to get all 190 plants in the ground in one shot.

The result? They love it. We love it & hopefully, nature will love it, too.

These moments fill my heart meter up to 100%.First female Monarch ovipositing on an Antelope Horns milkweed! And she lef...
03/11/2026

These moments fill my heart meter up to 100%.

First female Monarch ovipositing on an Antelope Horns milkweed! And she left us a gem of an egg! Might have been more of it wasn't for Otis! Lol. Don't worry, there are loads of milkweeds nearby.

Did you happen to notice how worn her wings look? This girl is clearly a 4th generation and has been THROUGH it. Well done, you weary, winged warrior... Mission accomplished! I'm so glad we had a delicious nectar buffet and multiple laying options available for her.

Want an entire 100 sq ft Monarch-approved native garden kit?! Do you know someone who does?We provide gallon-sized pots ...
03/07/2026

Want an entire 100 sq ft Monarch-approved native garden kit?! Do you know someone who does?

We provide gallon-sized pots of spring, summer and fall blooming Texas-native perennials - including 12 native milkweeds to feed our beloved Monarch caterpillars.

Apply by March 11th. Plant pickup on March 21 in Pflugerville.

Happy planning!!! 😊

https://www.monarchsanctuaryproject.org/monarchbutterflygarden

Did someone say FREE NATIVE MILKWEED?!*** UPDATE 3/7 3PM: We had to close the applications because we hit our maximum or...
03/07/2026

Did someone say FREE NATIVE MILKWEED?!

*** UPDATE 3/7 3PM: We had to close the applications because we hit our maximum orders in record time!!! Please consider applying for the Garden Giveaway and come to our March 21st celebration to snag some great plants and monarch merch!

We are over-the-moon excited to bring you this opportunity, thanks to another generous donation from ! Why are we giving away 1000 pesticide-free, local ecotype, native milkweeds this spring? Because we want to provide anyone with a passion to support the Monarch migration to feel empowered with an actionable solution. Afterall, more native milkweeds, more Monarchs!

Free native milkweeds will be given away in the order applications are received, so submit asap (application link in bio).

You will receive a 6-cell tray of either Zizotes (Asclepias oenotheroides) or Antelope Horns (Asclepias asperula). These darlings are 3 months old. Their seeds were cold-stratified at the end of November and started under grow lights on Jan 1st of this year. Recipients will go home with plant care information.

Our free, native milkweed plugs are available for anyone who lives in Central Texas. Plants must be picked up IN PERSON ON SATURDAY, MARCH 21 in Pflugerville, TX at Lake Pflugerville Park from 10am-1pm.

*Noteworthy, we will also have Monarch-approved native nectar plants and sweet, sweet merch available for purchase on plant pick-up day. This event will be open to the public, as well.

Tag someone who needs to read this, and come out to celebrate the first day of spring and the northern Monarch migration with us!

https://www.monarchsanctuaryproject.org/milkweed-giveaway

Address

801 US/183
Leander, TX
78641

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