Thursday, August 14, 2008
We are frequently asked what this plant is. Milkweed (Asclepias) is easily recognizable by the milky sap it exudes when you cut the branch. We planted it as a host plant for the Monarch butterfly. The monarch likes to lay its eggs on Milkweed. Alas, I haven't found any eggs yet. I think it is because we don't have a field of milkweed just a small patch. The cones are the seed pods. Inside the cones are lots of white cottony pieces each with seed attached. Once mature the pods will pop open and the wind will carry the seeds around the neighborhood, eventually creating our own field of milkweed. The dried mature pods are often used for crafts.