Milkweed

That has a pretty flower Lori.............

The scent is wonderful too, Milky!... the monarch butterflies lay their eggs on it...the larvae feed on the leaves...and the adults love the nectar..I have a closeup of a floret...they look so exotic. It is a spreader and a self seeder and that's how it earned the name "weed" but I just love it...but it's impossible to control and limit to a "bed"...lol.

Lori:

This is a very beautiful plant! I especially like the flowers.

I've developed a real appreciation for plants that have that four letter word in their name! This plant was growing happily beside a boggy banked stream in Muskoka. I like the native species...they are so perfectly adapted...no worries! speaking of adaptation, D1, do you grow the red delphinium, I understand it is a wild flower in the southern part of California.... I tried to grow it...paid a fortune for a packet of seed..(8 seeds) and not one germinated.... just wondered if you had ever tried them?

Yes, Red Delphinium grows here. There's so many wild flowers that grow in San Diego County...the deserts and even in the city. They generally grow in Winter...and start to die-out about now. I never took any photos of any this year...I just don't think about them a lot, even though they are very pretty.

I have grown delphs successfully at the 52n'd parallel of latitude...they don't like heat..in fact the colder the spring the happier they are! They grew into huge clumps and each one was comprised of plants that soared to nearly 8 feet tall! they bloomed for the regular period...here at the 45th par. they will sometimes start blooming again in October!! That's why I was intrigued by the California wildflower delph... they come from a hot climate, are much shorter in stature and are a wonderful hot red...but the seed was not good...not one germinated...a lesson learned...lol.

Lori:

I've only seen the ones that are planted as a Winter annuals here..which are available in many colors. They have an area in Balboa Park where they plant annuals every year. They grow pansies, delphs, and Ice Land poppies...which are my favorite. I'll have to look up the native red Delphinium.

seems like a waste to grow disposable delphs! I love them with a passion. I like to grow the annual poppy... I collect seed every year...I've had the same var. of poppies for almost 40 years now... their size depends on the fertility of the soil... I've seen them grow in pure sand...dry and dusty...you'd think nothing could grow in it...but they germinate and grow...I grant you they don't grow large...but in those conditions they bloom on a plant about 4 inches tall! In fertile soil they will grow to 4 ft with huge seed pods...But the flowers are the best of it...they are double, 4 - 6 inches across and look like they're made of silk with fringed edges in pinks and peaches...with a dark navy blue eye..just gorgeous.