Monarch Butterfly Plant Vase

She has traveled thousands of miles to get here. She has transformed from a tiny egg on a milkweed leaf into one of the most recognizable and beloved creatures on earth. And now she has come to tend your garden.

How to Tell Her Apart

Monarch butterflies look remarkably similar to one another whether they are male or female, but once you know what to look for you can tell them apart quite easily when you are close enough. Male monarchs have tiny specialized black spots within the dark veining on their lower wings. Scientists believe these spots are made of tiny scales that release pheromones to attract females, a behavior seen in several other butterfly species. The female has no such spots. Her wings are clean and unadorned.

This is a female. You can tell by her wings.

Can you see her tiny curled tongue?

The Vase

She sits atop a thick gnarled sterling silver tree branch, wings spread wide and outstretched, presiding over whatever cuttings or flowers you choose to place in her care. The branch wraps organically around a glass vial, twisting and meandering downward until it reaches the base where a cluster of tiny sterling silver mushrooms pushes upward through the roots. The whole structure stands 6 inches tall from the top of the glass to the bottom feet.

Her wings are made from sterling silver with bright copper spots catching the light differently depending on the angle. Every vein, every marking, every detail of her wings was formed entirely by hand. She is unmistakably a monarch and unmistakably one of a kind.

A Living Work of Art

This is the most beautiful way I have ever imagined to root houseplant cuttings. Place a few cuttings of your favorite plants into the vial near a sun filled window and watch new roots form over the coming weeks. Give the rooted plants as gifts. Change the cuttings with the seasons. Add a hand picked bouquet of flowers and vines for a pop of color. Every time you add something new the scene changes entirely and she watches over all of it with her wings spread wide.

Monarchs are a symbol of change and transformation. Many cultures believe that monarch butterflies carry the souls of loved ones. Some of these extraordinary creatures fly over 2,500 miles every year to reach their overwintering forests in Mexico, navigating by forces we still do not fully understand. How can they be anything but magical?

• Height: 6 inches from top of glass to bottom feet
• Materials: Sterling silver, copper, and glass vial
• Function: Propagation station, bud vase, or floral display
• Plants shown: Not included, for display purposes only

One of a Kind

There is only one of this piece in the world. The branch will never twist in exactly this way again. The mushrooms will never cluster in exactly this arrangement again. She will never spread her wings over exactly this vase again. When she finds her home she is truly irreplaceable.

A Note from Tamara

I made this piece because I wanted to create something that was both a work of art and a living, changing thing. Something that would look different every week depending on what you placed inside it. A propagation station that makes rooting your houseplant cuttings feel like tending a tiny enchanted forest. I hope whoever brings her home fills her with something beautiful and watches it grow.

Shipping

Your monarch vase is finished, packaged safely, and will be on her way to you within 3 to 5 business days.