True Epicure Says » Flower

Rudbeckia

trueepicure — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:00:05 +0000

I know I said my next post was going to be about Rhubarb, but I haven’t finished it and this came up in the meantime.

(Small) Miracles

trueepicure — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 01:33:58 +0000

1. IMGP2782, 2. IMGP2780, 3. IMGP2781, 4. IMGP2783, 5. IMGP2779, 6. IMGP2775, 7. IMGP2778, 8. IMGP2777, 9. IMGP2774

Daffodil

trueepicure — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:04:26 +0000

Asclepias

trueepicure — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:36:32 +0000

Did you know that Monarch butterflies require milkweed plants as food and larval breeding grounds? Not just need, but require. Other plants/flowers will do as nectar sources, but Monarch butterflies are dependent on milkweed (plants in the Asclepias genus) to survive.

Photo by vladeb

Development, habitat destruction, and chemical herbicides and pesticides have significantly reduced the amount of Milkweed (and other plants) available to Monarchs, which has in turn, resulted in a decrease in the overall Monarch population. This decline has prompted a number of organizations to develop around the world in support of Monarchs and their habitat. Organizations like Monarch Watch and the Monarch Teacher Network have programs to encourage people to plant Asclepias species appropriate to their area.

The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) lists 136 entries for Asclepias (including plant synonyms) in the U.S. and Canada, about 85 of which are identified with a common name containing “milkweed”. Many of these have ranges that extend through much of the United States and Canada, but are listed as: Endangered, Exploitably Vulnerable, Special Concern, Threatened and other similar statuses.

Photo by tlindenbaum

A. incarnata (Swamp Milkweed), A. speciosa (Showy Milkweed), and A. tuberosa (Pleurisy Root) seem to be the most commonly sold Asclepias in the eastern U.S. A. incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) and A. tuberosa are easy to find as seeds – you can purchase them through my affiliate link for Botanical Interests Seeds on the right side of this page. If you Google A. speciosa and A. syriaca, you’ll find a number of retailers selling these seed.

Photo by Salim Virji

I’m growing A. tuberosa from seed this year. I didn’t have luck with the A. syriaca transplants I was given last year. I suspect that they didn’t like being disturbed (big tap root) and would have been happier to have been started from seed. I hope I can meet my Asclepias-growing neighbosr this year, and beg a seed pod or two. Maybe I’ll trade them some of my rampant Monarda!

Orangina

trueepicure — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:52:13 +0000

Blooming in the yard yesterday morning:

Such a Tease

trueepicure — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 22:57:17 +0000

You might remember this. Yeah, well, that didn’t last. It shriveled up and died, along with the next three. And now:

Teasing me…

Cross your fingers, folks.

In Honor of All Things Good

trueepicure — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:24:56 +0000

Wordless Wednesday

trueepicure — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:41:28 +0000

Wordless Wednesday: Look Ma, I’m Gonna Bloom!

trueepicure — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:05:58 +0000

Belamcanda chinensis

trueepicure — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 13:00:07 +0000

I really need to take time to enjoy our garden more. I’d forgotten that my Blackberry Lily was blooming until I was reading Garden Muse and saw Cindy’s pictures. I get so caught up in watering and deadheading flowers that I forget to just walk around and enjoy everything.

So of course, I grabbed the iPhone and snapped some pics.

Note to self: Enjoy the fruits of your labor and don’t forget to walk around the house at least once a day.