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Marvelous Milkweeds

Photo by Tom Hodgson. Great Spangled Fritillary on butterfly weed.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Great Spangled Fritillary on butterfly weed.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Butterfly weed at Discovery Center prairie.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Butterfly weed at Discovery Center prairie.

(Chelsea Update would like to thank Tom Hodgson and the Waterloo Natural History Association for the information and photos in this column.)

There are at least six species of milkweed native to Michigan. The three most common and conspicuous are common milkweed, swamp milkweed and butterfly weed, all of which are found in nearby Waterloo Recreation Area.  Most, but not all milkweeds, exude a thick milky sap when injured.

Photo by Tom Hodgson. Milkweed seeds ready to fly.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Milkweed seeds ready to fly.

Common milkweed may soon be called the “not so common” milkweed, as its population has been drastically reduced by the development of round-up resistant corn and soybeans. In the past, most corn and soybean fields also contained scattered milkweed plants, the equivalent of thousands of acres nationwide.

Now, post emergent spraying of corn and soybean fields has all but eliminated common milkweed from these fields. This has resulted in a 90-percent decline in monarch butterflies whose larvae feed exclusively on milkweed.  We can all help the monarchs by including members of the milkweed family in our flower gardens. Not only will we be helping the monarchs, but will enjoy milkweeds colorful, fragrant flowers and the many species of butterflies they attract.

Photo by Tom Hodgson. Butterfly weed close-up.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Butterfly weed close-up.

The native prairie at the Discovery Center includes at least three species of milkweed. Common milkweed and butterfly weed are currently in bloom. Common milkweed blossoms are  greenish-purple while those of butterfly weed are bright orange. Both are highly fragrant and they are at peak bloom right now.

Those who would like to experience these beautiful flowers and their marvelous fragrances, as well as the flowers currently in bloom at the prairie site can come to the Discovery Center’s lower parking lot and walk the adjacent black top trail. The trail surface is suitable for strollers, wheel chairs and walkers so all can enjoy.

I took my now 2-year-old grandson on the trail last fall when the milkweed was going to seed and taught him to blow the seeds from the pods and watch them fly through the air on their downy parachutes.

Photo by Tom Hodgson. Butterfly weed seeds ready to fly.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Butterfly weed seeds ready to fly.

I brought him back this spring and the first thing he did was run to the milkweed and blow. This summer he is learning how to sniff the flowers and his favorite word right now is “wow!”  During his latest walk on the trail there was a lot of sniffing and wowing going on.

Swamp milkweed, which blooms a little later in the summer, is not found on the trail, but can be seen along the shores of Mill Lake by anyone in a canoe or kayak. Its blossoms are a deep pink.  Although a plant of wetlands, swamp milkweed can also be cultivated in gardens if watered regularly.

Once again, I encourage everyone to include milkweeds in their garden plans to replace plants lost through changing agricultural practices so we can save the monarch butterfly.  Or perhaps you have a little one in your life who would like to learn to blow the milkweed seeds into the air or sniff the blossoms and say “wow!”

Photo by Tom Hodgson. Common milkweed blossoms.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Common milkweed blossoms.
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