Diohio's Garden
Milkweed, Common
Genus: Asclepias.
Species: Asclepias syriaca.
About 10 years ago I started caring for a stand of Common Milkweed in small overgrown field next door. From there I created new stands in my own yard from seed. The more milkweed I grew, the more Monarchs showed up and layed eggs. I began collecting eggs and larvae to bring inside to rear and then release. The Monarchs in this brood were the ones that would migrate all the way to Mexico.
There are over 2000 milkweed species worldwide. In Common Milkweed the plant's milky sap contains cardiac glycosides and if eaten, will cause hot flahses, rapid heart rate and general weakness. The Monarch butterfly lays its eggs exclusively on milkweeds. Monarch caterpillars ingest the toxic sap with no ill effects, but they then become toxic to birds and other animals.
Orioles use fibers from old milkweed stems to build nests.
Common Milkweed is native to Ohio and is a perennial. It likes wet or dry, sun or shade, but I think it does best in slightly moist part shade.
