In celebration of National Pollinator Week (June 22-28), the Tennessee Department of Transportation is reopening online ordering for milkweed seeds through its popular Project Milkweed initiative for the fourth year.
Last year, TDOT distributed more than 93,000 seed packets to residents across Tennessee, fulfilling over 18,000 requests. As in years past, the program is again offering free seed packets of Red Milkweed and Common Milkweed varieties to Tennessee residents.
New this year, however, is a native herb and flower blend, now available for order alongside the Red and Common Milkweed packets. The new blend will include 10 different native plant varieties, including Tennessee’s two state wildflowers, the Passion Flower & Coneflower, as well as Bee Balm and Black-Eyed Susans.
All seeds will be available while supplies last and can be ordered online at: www.tnpollinators.org/milkweed.
TDOT launched its Pollinator Habitat Program in 2017 in response to the sharp decline of pollinator species caused by habitat loss, pesticide exposure, pests, and other threats. The program brings together a multi-agency partnership that includes the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA), and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
One of the program's cornerstone initiatives, Project Milkweed, is dedicated to restoring and preserving vital habitat for pollinators, particularly the monarch butterfly, which depends exclusively on milkweed plants for reproduction.
The importance of this effort was formally recognized in February 2025 by House Joint Resolution 84, introduced by Representative Greg Vital, which acknowledges TDOT’s work through Project Milkweed and affirms the state’s commitment to conserving monarch populations and their critical milkweed habitat. While monarchs are a primary focus, the project also benefits a diverse array of pollinators essential to Tennessee’s ecosystems.
National Pollinator Week, observed annually across the U.S., is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of pollinators and the challenges they face. It also encourages communities to take meaningful action to help protect these essential species, not just during the week, but all year long.