Tag Archives: Butterfly Weed

MyPod

Can I tell you that I have had a nano ipod for quite some time now (it’s embarassing how long) and am just NOW putting the tunes on it?  It may have to do with the subliminal thought “I bought this to wear while exercising” so if it is ready to go, then I should be exercising.  Naaa, I’m sure that’s not it.

But what I do have (in addition to my new tunes – why did I wait so long?) are pods in the garden.  First, my Moonflower pods.

Which have turned into these.

Aren’t they gorgeous?  They open their blooms at night, hence the name Moonflower, but you had probably figured that out.

And, these pods which are the seed pods for the Moonflower.

and my Butterfly Weed pods. 

Which I hope will make more of these

After being over 100 degrees for …Idon’t know… like 20 days, NOW it is raining to the point of flooding.   But the real weather fantasmo happened yesterday while I was at work.   A TORNADO came right at our building, we saw the funnel, the debris cloud and then it went back up into the wall cloud.  It came back down and hit about a block away moving a semi truck and damaging some buildings.  Very surreal.

Hopefully this weekend will be back to normal weather ( whatever that is) and I will be able to work in the garden.  I think I will be able to gather enough ground cherries to make some jelly!!  Can’t Wait!

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Growing a little weed.

Not That weed.  This weed.  Butterfly Weed.  Asclepias tuberosa.

You would think it would be an easy plant to grow, right?  I mean,after all it IS a weed.  But, you would be wrong.  It has taken me three years to get this large of a plant.  I read “it may take as long as two years to establish from seed”. Great,  now they tell me. 

I also found out that transplanting butterfly weed can be difficult because it has a taproot.  That must be why it’s a weed.  Ever try to pull up a dandelion?  It has a long taproot also.

The first year the Butterfly Weed erupted, there were only green leaves and then nothing.  It disappeared in the fall and winter only to reappear in the Spring.  Now we’re getting somewhere I thought.  Nope.  More green leaves but not.one.single.solitary. bloom.  Oh well.   Maybe it’s  in a spot with too much shade.  They do like full sun.  But this year, it really took off and FINALLY,  blooms!!!!

It is a beautiful plant and well worth the wait.  However, it is also a wonderful plant because it is a butterfly magnet.  Hence, the name.  But you had probably already figured that one out.  The plant produces an abundance of nectar which attracts the butterflies AND the plant is an excellent host for the caterpillars.

I can’t think of any other weed I would rather grow.  No, really.

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