I learned from my "Wildflowers of Ohio Field Guide" by Stan Tekiela, that Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is in the Milkweed family. It is found in meadows and prairies, and along roadsides blazing in the hot sun. It is a true milkweed, but it does not have milky sap. If broken, the stem and leaves ooze clear sap. "Tuberosa" refers to its large tap root, which makes it very difficult (if not impossible) to transplant. Sowing seeds is better. I just bought a Butterfly Weed plant from the local nursery. It was the last one they had and was flowerless and bedraggled. I hope it can come back. If not. I'm going to sow seeds next year. It is a host plant for Gray Hairstreak and Monarch butterfly caterpillars. Yeah!
The colors in these are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteIts beautiful Kelly, but its just not shouting "Summer" loud enough for us over here. You keep sending us all this rain across the pond.{:)
ReplyDeleteVery appropriate title. Lets hope you are lucky with the butterfly plant(s).
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and writeup.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the color.
Come visit anytime,
Troy and Martha
Our version of orange on orange, Click here is posted.
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That's even cool to a color blind guy!
ReplyDeleteI guess I am going to have to buy some butterfly weed. I have all the other butterfly plants and so far this year have had two Monarchs and one Tiger Swallowtail (today). And four Cabbage Whites.
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly
ReplyDeleteSo we have a wild version of milkweed that attracts Monarchs, grows wild and prolifically ...but this year, we've hardly seen any butterflies or moths...I'm getting concerned, and hoping it's just the rain- every day- when it should be hazy, hot and humid...ahhh for quick environment fix!
Signed, Hopeful from eastern Ontario, Canada.(sorry to be a downer)
Stunning, I know it's not a fashionable point of view but I love vivid colours and I love the butterfly too!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!! They go perfect together!!
ReplyDeleteKelly, I have wanted some of these plants in my garden for a long time. I tried direct sowing the seeds this spring but they didn't come up. I saved a couple from the package and I'm going to try keeping them in the fridge and then planting them. (That trick worked with my columbine seeds.)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots!
Lovely colours and description. What you had written about the butterfly was elegantly put.
ReplyDeleteThat vibrant orange!!! This is, hands-down, one of my favorite plants.
ReplyDeleteI worked at a wildflower preserve in PA for 4 years and one of the perks was getting native plants for free when the nursery was overstocked. Butterfly weed was one of the plants we all fought over when there were leftovers to be had. I actually never had trouble transplanting it, but maybe because the plants were so young that the taproot hadn't grown too big yet? Good luck nursing yours back to health!!!
These photos are lovely! The colors are stunning and both the butterfly and flower are so beautiful. I like the bug that managed to work its way into the background on the first shot.
ReplyDeletewow! these are fantastic.
ReplyDeletealso love the wrens. how lucky!
nikonsniper steve
Oh wow those colors really are very pretty together. Love those pictures. =)
ReplyDeleteIt's almost as if he landed on that just when he did for you to get a perfect photo! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteI love the colors in this photo. Great work!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I love the orange. It's become one of my favorite colors over the past few months. Beautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteI love the oranges in this photo - makes me believe that summer is still here! :-)
ReplyDeleteThose colors are absolutely gorgeous together. Wow!
ReplyDeleteThose are great! I love the orange and green. And you know I like the butterfies. :-)
ReplyDeletePicture Perfect!!!
ReplyDelete...aren't those colors great. I saw them all over in Clear Creek Metro Park in Hocking Hills......I love that place....and the county, and meadows....and prairies all around there....!! Thanks for all the kind comments.
ReplyDeleteI love the orange flower against the green background..
ReplyDeleteLovely!
Great color contrast :)
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Great color contrast :)
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Great pictures Kelly! I've tried to grow these plants in my yard and it seems the bunnies (or maybe it's the deer) love them too, so I've still never had one bloom.
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