Common milkweed |
Essential for the Monarch butterfly life cycle
Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on the leaves and the adult butterflies need milkweed to lay their eggs. They also feed on the nectar of the flowers, along with other flower species. Milkweeds have complex flowers; when you examine the individual flowers that make up the pink flower balls you will be amazed at their form and detail.Growing milkweed in your garden
This native plant is aggressive and can be weedy. The famous fluffy seeds float everywhere in the fall when the pods split open. The plants also have underground rhizomes that colonize to make a large stand of many plants.Common milkweed loves full sun and tolerates most soils, including heavy and wet sites. Try to make a place for it in your garden and you will not only enjoy the fragrance of the flowers, but very likely will see monarch butterflies enjoying the plant as well.
Author: Mary H. Meyer, Extension Horticulturist and UMN Professor