The Milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca ) in one of our wild gardens really took off this year.
It is setting seed pods now.
AND still feeding Monarch Caterpillars! Hope this one makes into a chrysalis. Milkweed is the only host plant for Monarchs.
Far Side
Yes, I hope it reaches it to chrysalis stage too. One can never have enough butterflies flitting around, so beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteLet's hear it for the Milkweed and for it being a host for Monarchs.
ReplyDeleteMy milk weed is mostly on the way out and the caterpillars are just starting to appear. I do have a few younger plants, but I think the dry spell, even though I watered them some, really took it's toll. Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteLove milkweeds! I saved seeds from our native plants, but they didn't seem to take in my new butterfly garden. I'll try again. As I am sure you know, Milkweed plants do not transplant well. I do however have orange (Butterfly Weed) and yellow (Hello Yellow) milkweed that I grew from seed currently flowering :) I think the native ones are preferred and continue growing wherever they please.
ReplyDeleteOn a recent trip to a garden center, I learned seeded native plants take 3-4 years to flower. There is still hope!
Very cool!
ReplyDeleteI’ve been in Minnesota visiting and just caught up on all your blog posts. Sorry to hear that Lymes is still taking its toll. You really do a lot in spite of feeling lousy. That fruit is going to taste so good in the snowy cold winters! Don’t forget to rest. 😊
ReplyDeleteI have it growing in the pastures and along the paddock fence and the driveway.
ReplyDeleteWOW That is cool. I hope it makes to butterfly stage, also
ReplyDeleteThere was a lot of milkweed growing everywhere when I was a kid in Minnesota. But I haven't seen any around here in years, which is probably why we no longer see monarchs either.
ReplyDeleteWow that is such a great shot of the caterpillar. The old pasture on the neighbor's land is loaded with milkweed and of course other plants now that no one mows it.
ReplyDeleteI’m wanting to plant Milkweed. We have some around growing but I want some earn my house.
ReplyDeleteWe have neither milkweeds nor Monarchs, sad to say.
ReplyDeleteI had a once in a lifetime experience with Monarch's. I came home from work years ago and the kids were so excited. They dragged me into the back of our woodlot and there were hundreds if not more covering the trees. Evidently they were migrating and we were blessed to have them rest at our farm.
ReplyDeleteI wish you luck with your caterpillars!
Very cool. We have some too, volunteers in our garden that I made the hired weeder leave. Then made my husband leave. Haven't seen any caterpillars though. I hope your little guy makes it!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I'm no longer getting notifications about your posts. My laptop updated. I'll go see if I can sign up again.
I've found two caterpillars on my milkweed. One has disappeared but he was pretty big, so he hopefully wandered of to make his cocoon. The second one is still growing and I check on him every day.
ReplyDeleteI feel pretty lucky, because I only have three milkweed plants in the yard - one pink swamp milkweed, one orange "butterfly weed" and one common milk weed. So two caterpillars on just three plants is pretty successful in my books!
YAY!! I've decided that planting milkweed in your landscape is a must - I've gathered and sent seed pods to friends and mine this year are not in a place where I can easily get to them, but I can see them from my driveway, and I'm hopeful they're making a difference like yours are!
ReplyDeleteI know we have milkweed here. Now I'll have to get out and find it. There seem to be lots of butterflies around right now.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see you have healthy milkweed this year. I've heard from other people that they didn't. May your beautiful monarchs thrive!
ReplyDeleteYou found a monarch larvae and didn't bring him in to watch him transform? It is such a magical event. I have not found one in a long time.
ReplyDeleteI saw the one monarch last week and I have seen no more. I guess the migration will start soon.
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