Slice of Life: Ready for Monarchs
Today’s post will be short for Slice of Life Tuesday. I’ve been taking photos in my yard (again) and noted that my milkweed has germinated. Milkweed is a perennial plant and germinates around this time of year in Wisconsin. I make daily rounds looking for it in my yard. I’ve also reported my findings to Journey North, as a citizen scientist, since 2006.
While there’s been a little disappointment in that my large patch of common milkweed has not germinated (as of yet, anyway), I did spot three other germinating patches. One is in the outdoor screened enclosure my husband made for me last year. This is butterfly weed or Asclepias tuberosa. I’ve never had this type of milkweed in my yard and since it is shorter and bushier, I thought it would be a great addition to the enclosure.
My rose milkweed Asclepias incarnata has not yet appeared yet, either. This patch did not attract many monarchs last year and I wondered at the time if the plants were not doing well. It has done so well in the past, and the blooms are vibrant pink, I planted more. The new plants have germinated. The blooms on the new plants are white. So, I’ll be able to tell if the soulmate (rose) variety of Asclepias incarnata has also sprouted come late summer. Another name for this milkweed is swamp milkweed and as the name implies it likes the soil kind of boggy.
Finally, common milkweed has sprouted in the ditch by our mailbox and in the field next to our home. It will proliferate and attract monarchs well into the early fall. I have come to love this plant.
Over the last 18 years, I’ve raised monarchs and spoken to numerous schools and community groups about monarch habitat restoration, conservation, and implementation. It is a passion of mine that sprouts every year at this time. You can look forward to many more posts about monarchs in the months to come on my blog.
The milkweed has sprouted — we are on our way for 2021! Welcome Monarchs!
If you click on the links in this post, you will go to reputable pages about the milkweeds listed. It is important to plant milkweed native to your area of the country and not plant tropical milkweed. If you need more assistance finding what is native to your area, please contact me through the comments on the blog. I’d be glad to help!
Today is Slice of Life Tuesday. Thank you to TwoWritingTeachers.org for creating and hosting this weekly forum.
All photos (whether watermarked or not) are copyrighted by Carol Labuzzetta. No permission exists to duplicate in any form without express permission from her. Thank you!
Originally published at http://theapplesinmyorchard.com on May 25, 2021.
