Thursday, June 01, 2006

Nice Find

















This was a nice find. I knew I had butterfly weed growing wild in the far west hinterlands of my place, but that was the only place I had found it. On a late afternoon walk a few days ago, this one was broadcasting it's need for pollination along the south side of my place.












The drought doesn't seem to have bothered this tough native. Posted by Picasa

12 comments:

Thunder said...

Wow, what a cool looking little plant!
I wish I could send some of our rain your way, but I'm sure our dry days are coming soon anyway!

The sun was out long enough yesterday for me to burn the top of my head. You would think that I'd have learned to carry a hat with me by now, wouldn't you?!

Deb said...

So there is at least one native flower we have in common! Ours blooms in late June. I have two plants of it coming up in my haphazard excuse for a flower garden, and just yesterday I saw a Monarch butterfly checking out the leaves. It knows.

threecollie said...

We have it way up here in the north too, but none here at Northview. It is real pretty.

robin andrea said...

Does it attract a particular butterfly? If Deb has this way up in Minnesota, I wonder if we have this plant here, as well. Now I'm going to be keeping my eyes open for this one.

Did you get any rain?

Anonymous said...

We have it in Missouri too. I know I have some coming up below the dam among the pecans. In Kansas City you can buy it at the nurseries as a decorative plant to put in your garden.

Lightnin said...

FC-
Pablo beat me to it! I was just going to comment that we had this in Sweet Springs (MO) when I was growing up. The Monarchs especially seemed to always be around these plants.

Anonymous said...

I don't think we have this one in Canada - at least, not in the two parts of Canada (northern Ontario and south-western British Columbia) that I've lived in - it looks similar to a Devil's Paintbrush, but it's hard to tell without touching it. I'm one of those weirdos that recognizes everything by touch. Maybe you could mail me one?

Anonymous said...

there is nothing tougher than a bonafide native. ;)

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

What a nice find...some weeds/plants are just beautiful. I used to enjoy walking in the woods looking for little beauties myself. It's a very relaxing thing to do...Seek & Enjoy.

R.Powers said...

Thunder,
We actually got some today!
Be careful of that head/

Deb,
This one is really widespread as evidenced by the comments. I noticed more of it today olong roadsides.

Threecollie,
I'm going to get some seeds this year.

Robin,
We did get rain today, pretty widespread and a good chance for more tomorrow. I bet this plant grows in the NW.

Pablo,
I almost bought a seed packet of Butterfly Weed this spring, but changed my mind at the last minute. Got it anyway it seems/

Lightnin,
It is one of the milkweeds I believe, so Monarchs should like it.

Mrs. S,
Mail...if I had more than two of em...

Laura,
Takes one to know one ;)

Abandoned,
20 years on this piece of ground and I still find treasures I didn't know about. Love it.

Anonymous said...

Love them butterfly weeds! The brilliant orange is one of those colors you just don't see very much. It's the only milkweed we have that the monarch caterpillars go for.

We talked to a cemetary caretaker a long while back who was busily pulling up all the butterfly weed he could find. He called it "chiggerweed", and wouldn't listen to reason.

Oh - it's also one of the milkweeds that doesn't have milky sap.

R.Powers said...

Wayne,
I have some other milkweeds here, but none can hold a candle to this variety.
It must have a huge distribution.