Monarch Magic Ageratum

Ageratum houstonianum ‘Agerboyuma’ common names: Blue Horizon, Bluemink, Floss Flower, Flossflower, Monarch ageratum, Mexican Paintbrush

Monarch Magic Ageratum Plant Specs

• Herbaceous perennial flower for USDA hardiness zones 9a-10b (lows -6.7° C or 20° F)
• Native plant to Central and South America
• Full sun to part sun
• Height: 6-12 iches
• Spacing: 1 to 2 feet
• Disk Flowers
• Flower color: light purple, violet, blue-purple, red, white
• Leaves: medim to dark green, opposite, wide, ovate to heart-shaped
• Stems: compact, sturdy, and upright
• Blooms summer through first frost (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct)

Monarch Floss Flower Pros

• Fast growing annual plant for hardiness zones 8 and below
• All season bloomer from spring through the magical monarch migration
• More aesthetically pleasing cultivar
• use as ground cover or a front border
• Almost Care-free plant- less deadheading required compared to other ageratum varieties
• Favorite nectar source of monarchs
• Provides migration energy for masses of monarchs
• Rabbit and deer resistant- I’ve actually never seen them munching on any ageratum variety

Monarch Ageratum Cons

• None that I’ve seen so far, but I will keep my eyes and ears open
• Susceptible to White Flies and Powdery Mildew

From what I’ve seen, the only other ageratum variety that attracts monarchs en masse like this is Conoclinium greggii (Gregg’s mistflower)

Monarch Magic Ageratum Plant Propagation

• Sow seeds directly in spring after final frost (but you really need plants if you are growing annually)

Mexican Ageratum Growing Tips

• As both a potted companion plant and also trailing from a hanging basket, this has been easy to grow
• This has also been reported to thrive direct-planted in garden beds
• We will try overwintering our plant and see how it performs perennially in season two

Pollinator Plus

Ageratum houstonianum ‘agerboyuma’ also attracts bees, moths, painted ladies, skippers, and queen butterflies. Report in comments below any specific pollinators it has attracted in your garden

Buy Ageratum Houstonianum Agerboyuma Plants and Seeds

As difficult as the botanical name is to spell and say, always purchase plants searching for this name. Common names are more often misused when labeling plants, so you’ll have best results searching for:

1. Find Ageratum houstonianum ‘monarch magic’ on Etsy ⬅️

2. Buy Ageratum houstonianum ‘monarch magic’ on eBay ⬅️

Questions about Monarch Magic Ageratum

Does Ageratum monarch magic prefer sun or shade?

This is a sun-loving annual so make sure it’s getting at least five hours of sun daily. Our received ample sun but also shade in the late afternoon, and it thrived in those conditions.

Does Monarch Magic Ageratum attract butterflies?

Yes, it really attracts them…especially monarchs!

Is Native Wild Ageratum a good substitute for Monarch Magic?

Absolutely…NOT! Monarch magic looks nicer with its compact/upright growth habit, doesn’t spread aggressively, and attracts WAY MORE MONARCHS. Keep in mind that monarchs aren’t native to one region, but a migratory species across North America…and beyond!

Is Monarch Ageratum a host plant for caterpillars?

No it’s not. For this reason, your garden should contain other plants that support monarchs in other stages of their life cycle, like milkweed.

If you’re interested in adding more butterfly plants to your garden, check out our butterfly flowers page