Milkweed

Milkweed Flowering

Do you see the tiny Monarch Caterpillar On A Milkweed Flower Stem?

Milkweed Flowering

Monarchs can’t survive without milkweed. They need it to lay their eggs on and their caterpillars only eat milkweed plants. The monarch butterfly population is in danger because milkweed plants are disappearing, due to loss of habitat stemming from land development and the widespread spraying of weed killer on the fields where they live. We can help monarchs by growing milkweed in our yards, fields, and gardens.

Milkweed Pollination by a Honey Bee

Monarch Butterfly On Butterfly Bush Milkweed

Monarch Butterfly On Milkweed

See the tiny orange eggs on the leaf rib.

Milkweed Gone To Seed

Milkweed Gone To Seed

Hairy Balls Milk Weed

Gomphocarpus physocarpus, commonly known as hairy balls, balloon plant, balloon cotton-bush, bishop's balls, nailhead, swan plant, Oscar milkweed, and Family Jewels. This plant is native to southeast Africa, but it has been widely naturalized as it is often used as an ornamental plant. It’s traditionally used to produce ointments for the treatment of warts and the seeds are used in rituals. The leaves and stems produce milky latex that is toxic.

My photographs are available for purchase through EliseCreations.net

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Disclaimer

My blog is meant to inform and I strive to be totally accurate. It is solely up to the reader to ensure proper plant identification. Some wild plants and mushrooms are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects.