I’m going to push this with all of my heart and soul right now.
All of it.
There is a plant, and while this plant isn’t some of the other plants that we have come to love such as cannabis, opium or ya know, kale, it is a rather important plant.
It’s name as you might hear it is Milkweed. As a botanist would call it; Asclepias.
This plant looks benign. It’s flowers aren’t the most wonderful, though they tend to be fragrant. Their flowers are small, and clustered. Their leaves can be anything from flat and fuzzy to long, thin and waxy. And when plucked or ripped, they bleed a milky substance, hence the name. And probably the most common is simply called Common Milkweed.
Why am I telling you about this plant?
Because of the Monarch Butterfly. If you don’t live in the US, you probably don’t need to worry much about it too much, however a simple share of this valuable knowledge can find its way to someone who might need to know it.
The monarch butterfly lays its eggs on the milkweed, and only the milkweed. The caterpillars that hatch eat the milkweed, and only the milkweed.
This is why this plant is so valuable. Because now that this plant is being torn up by its fragile roots, the monarch suffers.
So I’m writing this PSA in hopes that I might spread the word about this plant, and hopefully help it, and by extension help the Monarchs.
So please. If you see this plant in your yard, save it. Nurture it. And if you’re active in conservation efforts, plant it, along with other butterfly attracting plants.
I have images of common milkweed. I have yet to find any others in the wild, but a google search will get you to those that grow in your area.
For Love of Photography 