Tag Archives: Milkweed

Monthly Journal – May, 2016

It’s May and, as always in this month, there’s a lot going on.  Pollinators are busy and some species of birds are raising a second brood.  We’ve seen a few Hummingbirds, but they are still infrequent visitors to our blooms.

The neighbor across the street reports that the resident box turtle was seen hiking up their driveway.  And one of the most interesting reports came from a neighbor on West Paces Ferry who sent us a photo taken in her yard of a Groundhog (aka Woodchuck or Whistlepig).  She contacted Georgia DNR who confirmed it as a Groundhog saying that while it’s unusual for them to be this far south in Georgia, it’s not unheard of.

Got Milkweed?

Tuberosa Milkweed - Asclepias tuberosa

Tuberosa Milkweed – Asclepias tuberosa

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.