No, I have not hit my head and seeing stars. I have been seeing patches of white in the ditch and they sparkle in the sunlight. Not that we have had much sunshine lately.
It’s kind of funny ..you see white in the ditch this time of year and you think snow.
The Milkweed seeds are escaping the pods one by one…like little parachuters jumping out of an airplane. Milkweed seed has a wonderful dispersal system..on windy days they can fly for a long way on an air currant.
It must have been a good year for Milkweed..they must enjoy the dry warm weather that we had all summer. Although some plants will put out lots of seeds in the years that they are stressed..one last ditch effort to survive.
I collected a bit of seed from the roadside. One of these days I will take out a shovel and plant some of the seeds out in the wild gardens and along our driveway. The seeds will get their cold treatment this winter which will spur them onto germination with the snowmelt or the spring rains.
Milkweed is the only food for the Monarch butterfly larva. Back in 1999 - 2002 we had hundreds of Monarchs all summer long. This summer we had a few..and all of our milkweed was eaten down to the stem with no chance to produce any seed..so I hope we can get some more Milkweed growing:)
I didn't know about the milkweed and the Monarch butterfly. I seem to be learning something even when I am not in school :)
ReplyDeleteWe had tons of milkweed this summer and few monarchs. Lots of Admirals though....
ReplyDeleteI hope your seeds do well. I love the Monarchs.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about that food source for monarchs either. I'm going to go check it out on the internet. I guess milkweed doesn't grow around here. Fireweed does, though, and it puts out lots of white stuff in a similar manner.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid (hmmm, too many years ago to count), I loved playing with milkweed seeds and watching them fly in the breeze. Once I spotted an all-white blossom on a milkweed plant, which to my experience is rare since all the others were pink and white.
ReplyDeleteIt's all fascinating how nature works isn't it ! Lovely photos ! Have a wonderful day !
ReplyDeleteGreetings....love milkweed...we had so many Monarchs here this year...couldn`t believe it....so beautiful...Hope the milkweed grows well for you and the Butterflies....Blessings Francine.
ReplyDeleteI learn so much from you about nature. I'm sure we must have milkweed around here, I just never noticed. We have very few butterflies, and most of them are white. Love your photos!
ReplyDeletePeace,
Muff
The juice from a milkweed stalk is supposed to treat warts. Apply dailey to affected sight. Takes about a week, I believe...or that's what Granny used to say.
ReplyDeleteNothing prettier than milkweeds covered in butterflies. May they both return.
I did not know that about the milkweed being the food for the Monarch Butterfly. Once again, you have educated some of us! I can tell you are more relaxed and enjoying time at home, too.
ReplyDeleteMost years I just let my milkweed sow itself and it surprises me in various places in the garden. But today thanks to your post I'm going to see whether any seeds remain, and if so I'll plant a few. I think the seeds are incredibly beautiful as they line up in the pod, and of course amazing as they take flight. Not to mention the monarchs they attract!
ReplyDeleteI hope this works although it looks like milkweed in the ditch has it's own ideas. I'm sure you know a million ways to propagate stuff .
ReplyDeleteMy Mom told me once that they did "something" with milkweed, I need to ask her now what that was again.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the milkweed, either. When I was a kid and we had a large, wild field next to a lake I remember thousands and thousands of them migrating through and stopping for a day in the field. We had milkweeds by the lake, but I can't recall if they grew in the field or not. There was a ton of wildflowers on the hilly field, though. I do remember the colors--white, yellow, purple...but you never forget thousands of monarchs! Stunning! :)
ReplyDeleteMonarchs are in danger, I am told. Blame in famers and subdivsions and people who don't like milk weed. I (and you) and others do so maybe we will help out those lovely wings.
ReplyDeleteLinda
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