1/10/2024 0 Comments Milkweed seedlingsSome species grow exclusively in specific regions while others will thrive in just about any habitat. Many have adapted to different regions of the country and a wide range of climates and terrains, from deserts and rocky areas to marshes and open prairies. More than 100 species of this herbaceous perennial are native to the U.S. Tips for saving and growing your own milkweed seeds are found in this video.Milkweeds ( Asclepias) get their name from the sticky white sap that oozes from the leaves when they are damaged. Botanical Interests offers Asclepias speciosa. In Nova Scotia, Baldwin Nurseries sells plants. Miriam sells seeds through her Wildflower Farm website. “He is raising awareness in a way that only David Suzuki can and it’s proving to be a positive step forward.” Where to buy milkweedĪ local native plant sale is a good place to begin your hunt for milkweed. Ask your local nursery manager if the store will be carrying any native varieties this spring. “Anything that brings forward the issue of native pollinator health is a good thing,” agreed Miriam, who says the monarch butterfly issue is coming to light, largely due to David Suzuki and his team’s efforts. I eagerly spread the #GotMilkweed message so other gardeners could add it to their must-plant lists. I’ve spotted a few other types, especially around my buddleia, but I want to make sure the monarchs find a welcoming spot in my garden, too. Sadly, in the last few years I haven’t seen many monarch butterflies flitting throughout in my garden. Miriam says liatris, goldenrod and asters are other forms of monarch nutrition that you can add to your garden. By planting it within a fairly dense planting of other native species, you leave minimal room for the rhizomes to travel.” “Common milkweed spreads by rhizomes (underground runners or roots) which is why it can be such an aggressive spreader. ![]() You should plant it with a combination of other native flowers and grasses that take up the various levels of soil, she warns. Butterflyweed (image courtesy of Miriam Goldberger)Īnd, you can still plant common milkweed, says Miriam, especially if you have dry, clay soil. Dry to medium soils are preferred,” she says. “Butterflyweed will also tolerate some shade, but is a bit more picky about its soil type, preferring sand or loam. It likes full sun (though it will tolerate a bit of shade). Miriam says that red milkweed will grow in any soil type, but it prefers medium to moist soils. These two alternatives do not spread by rhizomes and are employed by monarchs just as often as the common milkweed.” “Both of these are host plants for the adult monarchs as they lay eggs, and as food source hosts for the larvae (caterpillars). “Monarchs will also enjoy red milkweed ( Asclepias incarnata) and butterflyweed ( Asclepias tuberosa),” says Miriam. The good news is there are other types of milkweed that don’t spread. Common milkweed (image courtesy of Miriam Goldberger) Here in Canada, it also used to be on the Ministry of Natural Resources’ noxious weeds list. Common milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca) is the source of the plant’s bad reputation-it’s an aggressive spreader. “It’s unfortunate that such a beautiful and important plant in our North American ecosystem is named a weed,” says Miriam. A few tips for purchasing and planting milkweed ![]() I planted some in my garden and asked wildflower guru Miriam Goldberger, author of Taming Wildflowers (St. In the last couple of years, scientists have been encouraging gardeners to plant milkweed to help the monarch butterfly population. (2016 update: A World Wildlife Fund survey suggests “ migratory monarchs are rebounding-but with a long road ahead.”) The milkweed plant is not only an important food source for monarch caterpillars, it’s the only plant on which a monarch butterfly will lay its eggs. Scientists have been reporting staggeringly low numbers of monarch butterflies that migrated to Mexico, partly due to the eradication of milkweed across North America. and abroad, David Suzuki is a prominent scientist and environmentalist here in Canada.) The hashtag was part of a campaign launched by the David Suzuki Foundation that aimed to create a monarch butterfly corridor in Toronto. In 2014, I came across one of the most clever uses of a hashtag I’ve seen on social media: #GotMilkweed.
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