IL HR0166

Twenty-four species of milkweed grow naturally in Illinois, with four listed as endangered in the state and one listed as threatened federally.

Monarch butterfly larvae feed exclusively on milkweed plants, making milkweed essential for monarch survival; milkweed was recently designated as the official state wildflower.

Encourages utilization of milkweed in soil and water conservation practices and in Federal Conservation Reserve Programs (CRP).

Encourages the growth of milkweed on state grounds and urges that maintenance restrictions be lifted in certain areas to allow milkweed cultivation in conservation programs.