MILKWEED AND MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

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Did you know Monarch butterflies and Milkweed are the perfect pair? Here on our land we have the perfect habitat for them. All summer long I can collect wildflowers and have a constant supply just by clipping flowers from our property. Milkweed is left alone though and reserved just for the Monarch’s.

Luckily we live in an area where no one sprays their lawns with chemicals so the Milkweed thrives. Just this week I’ve seen several butterflies fluttering around the blooming plants. Did you know Milkweed contains everything a Monarch needs from caterpillar to butterfly? This one plant contains all the nourishment it needs.

After a little research I found out Milkweed can be grown from seed. In my neck of the woods they just grow wild in wet areas. The large patch we have is near our pond, so that makes perfect sense. I’ve never tried to grow it myself but if anyone would like to try I’d be happy to harvest the seeds and send them to you

Once they go to seed there’s a big brown seed pod so it’s easy to spot. Once the seed pods burst open it looks like cotton sticking out from them, it blows in the wind and self seeds making more plants come spring. Mother Nature is brilliant, right?

I’ve found several videos showing how and when to harvest the seeds. One seed can travel several hundred feet and plant itself. I think that’s pretty cool!