What's the buzz about milkweed?
We have all heard that monarch butterflies are in decline, due to habitat loss and the eradication of native milkweed plants. Farmers routinely eradicate these plants. There are 73 species of milkweed in the US, some real stunners, and about 30 are regularly used by monarch butterflies. Monarchs are completely dependent on milkweed plants to reproduce.
Native, common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a bit "spready" (OK a lot "spready") and the gardener who planted them too near my vegetable garden (me) has given herself some extra work. But, my common milkweed patch is my pride and joy. I collected seeds on the roadside near my house (to try to get a locally adapted variety), planted them in pots, overwintered them...and voila, they came up. They are gorgeous! Six or more feet tall, wonderfully scented in flower, and they are marvelous pollinator plants...and our pollinators need all the help they can get! (See the brief video above).
Do you want to try collecting milkweed seeds and growing them? The link below give you tips on finding viable seeds. And, like all seed collecting, do not collect more than you need or from a single specimen or small, undisturbed cluster of plants. On private property, you will need to get permission to collect seed. Commercially, milkweed seeds and plants (like the orange butterfly weed and swamp milkweed) are available for purchase. And my advice is to look for local grower.
Milkeed Seeds Viability
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