Quite a few years ago, I'm thinking at least 8, I picked up some seeds a fellow beekeeper was handing out at our bee group: Showy Milkweed seeds. After reading that showy milkweed was a poisonous plant for sheep I was a bit hesitant to plant it. One spring I mustered up some courage and planted a few seeds figuring I could keep it contained in my front yard. The plant is a native and one of a few food sources for the quickly disappearing Monarch Butterfly.
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| Showy Milkweed |
Well the plant did grow and each year I plucked off seed heads to keep it from spreading out of control. So far so good. An interesting and beautiful annual in an of itself. The real beauty finally came this year when we were discovered on the Monarch circuit. We've seen the butterflies quite a few times now and I attempted to catch one on film.
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| SwallowTail butterfly with "moth-eaten" wings |
