Have you ever seen one of these plants before?
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
August 26, 2022 3:20pm CST
I think they are rather ugly but I found out recently that it's a milkweed and that monarch butterflies need them to lay their eggs. My sister told me that a lack of these plants is why the monarch butterflies are going extinct but after reading an article I found that it's due to several reasons one relating to trees being cut down in forests.
We found the milkweed plant at a house my daughter and her husband just purchased. My sister and I went to check out the yard and the house comes with several nicely prepared garden beds with all sorts of flowers. There were mostly hastas. It looked like every variety that I've ever seen was there. There was also pink phlox in several places and sedum in the front yard. There are also two flowering fruit trees which will be pretty in the spring.
They had a small vegetable garden with rhubarb and tomatoes and what looked like an herb garden surrounded by fencing but that needs some work.
I'm guessing the flowering plants will help the monarchs with their food needs.
The article I read said this about the milkweed:
Milkweed is the only plant that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on and that their caterpillars can eat on,” Melkonoff said. "And then when the adult butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, that is going to be a nectar-drinking insect, Melkonoff said.”
https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/arizona/2022/07/29/monarch-butterfly-facts-life-span-habitat/10164160002/
14 people like this
13 responses
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
I think it's considered a weed but a necessary one.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203396)
• Nashville, Tennessee
27 Aug 22
@MarshaMusselman Totally agree with you.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169568)
• United States
26 Aug 22
We have lots of it growing wild around here. They can be pretty plants when they flower.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
I've never seen them flower before in fact this was the first I've ever seen them.
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Aug 22
I guess we are told here that folks have been planting the wrong milkweed (the red/orange can easily be found here, but apparently that's the tropical one that can be toxic to the monarch caterpillars
). I hope to find the right milkweed plant or seeds soon!
). I hope to find the right milkweed plant or seeds soon!1 person likes this

@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Aug 22
@MarshaMusselman They should be around - but I think the wrong kind got popular and they are still trying to sell them off.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
I hope your c can find them.
1 person likes this

@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
27 Aug 22
Yes I have seen it lots around here Marsha.
1 person likes this

@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
28 Aug 22
@MarshaMusselman I didnt know that Marsha..we also had it in your yard when I was a kid
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
That's cool that it's found there. Did your know it's used for the monarch butterflies already?
1 person likes this

@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
I might try to find some to grow in my yard too now that I know about them.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502729)
• Italy
28 Aug 22
@MarshaMusselman I let them grow in one area of the garden, I want to help the butterflies.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
Maybe when they're left alone they grow taller? I might have to look it up to see
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
28 Oct 22
@RubyHawk that's possible. There's a neighbor near is that has several growing in the front corner of their yard. Left intended I think they grow wild. Maybe they are called a weed because there it looks like they spread.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99367)
• Atlanta, Georgia
28 Aug 22
@MarshaMusselman I think the Milkweed I know is a entirely different plant. Maybe there are different plants called Milkweed.
1 person likes this

@kaylachan (84867)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
26 Aug 22
I want to say I have, but I can't be sure. It's interesting though.
1 person likes this

@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
They grow in Arizona but maybe not in the hottest regions.
1 person likes this

@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
26 Aug 22
I saw only one monarch butterfly this summer, this makes me sad!
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Aug 22
I'll have to have my daughter watch for them next year when they aren't working just to see how many there might be. I'm not outside much in the day so I wouldn't see many.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
27 Aug 22
@MarshaMusselman I'm indoors most of the time. Butterflies are beautiful insects!
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (18202)
• Raurkela, India
27 Aug 22
I have never seen this plant but I have seen butterfly laying eggs on my lime tree leaves, mango leaves and peepal leaves in my garden.
1 person likes this
@everwonderwhy (7355)
•
27 Aug 22
I have books about the "edibles in the wild". Milkweed is one of them. I don't know which is milkweed among the weeds I have in my backyard.
So I can keep them for the Monarch butterflies' visit come Summer. :-)
So I can keep them for the Monarch butterflies' visit come Summer. :-)1 person likes this
@luisga814 (7138)
• Quezon City, Philippines
26 Aug 22
We have that before but I don't know the name.
1 person likes this















