The Milkweed is in bloom! It’s a beautiful plant with an unfortunate name. Certainly not a weed by our standards, it’s a wonderful pollinator plant to have in your garden. As you can see from the pictures below, the pollinators love it.
And it plays a special role for the Monarch butterfly. If you plant milkweed, you are helping this magnificent creature. The annual eastern migration of the Monarch is in danger of going extinct, and Milkweed is the only plant on which the caterpillar of the Monarch can feed. If we are lucky enough to see a monarch, we’ll let you know.
- Red Admiral and bee on Tuberosa Milkweed – Asclepias tuberosa
- Bees on Tuberosa Milkweed – Asclepias tuberosa
- Purple Milkweed – Asclepias purpurascens
Beautiful photos. I’ve never seen a purple milkweed — makes me want to get more of these in or yard. Mine look pretty scraggly compared to yours. I see that next time it will be good to plant in groups & masses.
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