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Swamp Milkweed

Asclepias

Description:

This swamp milkweed is in full sun. We saw a lot of orange and black beetles on the leaves that when they flew they also reminded of lighting bugs.

Notes:

1. Why is it called milkweed? 2. Why does the milkweed grow flowers?

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1 Comment

tacticalbee
tacticalbee 2 years ago

This is my FAVORITE! Why do you think this might be the favorite plant for someone who loves butterflies?

1. Why is it called Milkweed? Milkweed gets its name from the sticky-milky white juice that comes out of the stems if you were to break them. There are about 120 species of milkweed and a majority of them are US natives. Most milkweed species have some level of toxicity and some can affect vertebrate heart rates such as in birds and mammals. What advantage do you think monarch butterflies have because their caterpillars can eat milkweed leaves?

2. Why does milkweed grow flowers? Flowers are vital in plant reproduction. Flowers attract pollinators to have them move pollen from one flower to another, thus pollinating them. Some flowers have adapted to be pollinated by specific pollinators and others are more general and allow an assortment of pollinators to pollinate them. Flowers also offer a reward for pollinators in the form of nectar. What are some shapes of flowers in your pollinator garden? Can you find any that would be suited for pollinators with long tongues?

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Spotted on Jul 21, 2021
Submitted on Jul 21, 2021

Spotted for Mission

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