Costa Farms gifts 5,000 milkweed plants to WNC groups to help declining monarch butterfly

By CNN Newsource

Published June 18, 2022 9:30 AM

By Web Staff

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — A western North Carolina farm is teaming up with nonprofits to help the monarch butterfly.

For the past 10 years, Costa Farms has been growing starter milkweed plants to plant locally.

Milkweed is the nesting and feeding plant for monarch caterpillars.

Both the butterflies and milkweed have seen a 90% decline in recent years.

“It’s amazing how fast these monarchs respond to it. I have story after story of monarchs coming and putting their eggs on, and we’re growing more monarchs every year.”

Saturday’s donation sent 2,000 plants to Asheville GreenWorks.

Another 3,000 plants went to other environmental groups in Henderson and Buncombe counties.

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Article Topic Follows: CNN - Regional

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