Ricardo Garcia

PERSONAL STATEMENT

As Plant Materials Technician I work to support the Garden’s Great Milkweed Grow Out monarch and pollinator conservation initiative. One of my primary responsibilities is the propagation of native pollinator plant species, with a focus on native Arizona milkweed species. Milkweeds are the only host plants used by monarch butterflies. These plants are raised for Garden research, community science, outreach, and habitat restoration projects as well as retail availability through our gift shop and bi-annual plant sales. Additionally, I am responsible for maintaining our seed library by collecting both cultivated and wild plant populations to produce for future projects.