Posted by Erin Autio on Thursday, July 21st, 2016 9:42 am
Out in my garden the Milkweed is blooming and beautiful right now! We let it grow around the edges of my perennial beds.
If you aren't familiar with Milkweed you are missing out on a pretty remarkable member of the plant kingdom. Unfortunately this plant has the word "weed" right in its name and perhaps this has contributed to the general lack of enthusiasm towards it. There are over 140 known species of the Milkweed. They have extremely complex, intricate flowers that are an important source of nectar for pollinators-they have an intense perfume and are loaded with bees in my garden. The plant has a milky sap (latex) from which they get their name. This sap is one of the plants defense mechanisms. It makes it sticky and undesireable to most insects and larvae. The plant also contains cardenolide toxins (heart-arresting compounds) that are toxic when ingested. Amazingly the Monarch and a few other species have adapted to this toxin and still feed on the plant.
The Monarch in particular is completely dependent on the Milkweed plant as its only food source. The adult lays eggs on the plant and when the larvae hatch, they feed on it exclusively. Eating only the Milkweed makes the Monarch itself an undesireable snack to predators so the Milkweed defense becomes the Monarch's defense . They really are what they eat! Isn't nature fascinating?
It doesn't end there! The seeds of the Milkweed are contained in lumpy little pods that split open in the fall. Each seed is attached to a fluffy bit of 'silk'. They are designed to be blown in the wind as a method of repopulation. As a kid (ok and maybe last fall) I remember cracking open the pods and releasing the perfectly packed seeds into the wind-pretty cool! This silk has been used to manufacture hypoallergenic filling for pillows, insulation, acoustic insulation and oil absorbents. Not just fun for kids!
Even if you aren't a plant nerd like me, you've got to admit those are some fun facts! As a gardener, if you see Milkweed pop up in your garden, maybe let it grow! It may not fit into a formal setting but with Monarch populations in serious decline we should look at the bigger picture. Or consider planting Swamp Milkweed-a better behaved variety available at most garden centres.
www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/monarch-butterflies-need-your-help/