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+--- Thread: Got Milkweed! (/showthread.php?tid=1311)
Got Milkweed! - Catherine - 04-15-2015
There is a real effort being made to save the Monarch Butterflies. Some parts of the campaign are funny.
The April Fools day message was funny and it fooled me.
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/love-monarch-butterflies-get-knitting/
I was prepared to knit. Good thing it is a joke, I am not much of a knitter.
Seriously though, the real campaign is to encourage people to plant milkweed so the butterflies have somewhere to lay their eggs.
I have ordered four plants. That should start a whole bed of milkweed in my yard.
http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/1338657/david-suzuki-foundations-got-milkweed-campaign-aims-to-bring-back-the-monarch-butterfly/
Milkweed is actually very pretty. It will certainly be great to have the butterflies hanging around my yard.
I need to plant another butterfly bush as well, maybe two.
RE: Got Milkweed! - Tobi - 04-18-2015
In the UK this plant looks a bit different (as far as I can make out) but is also known as 'Petty Spurge' or "Euphorbia peplus'.
Apparently it is also a CURE for non-melanoma types of skin cancer caused by sun damage!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1350454/Milkweed-miracle-Applying-sap-common-garden-weed-cure-skin-cancer.html
So for the Monarchs -and for us too, it's a very good plant to cultivate.
RE: Got Milkweed! - Catherine - 04-18-2015
The North American Milkweed and the one you know appear to be from completely different plant families. It is like the bird I call a robin. It is actually a type of thrush and in no way resembles your robin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias
It is interesting that you have a plant that treats skin cancer. I think our plant is a bit toxic. It is however the only thing that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on.
I look forward to planting it in my garden.
RE: Got Milkweed! - Tobi - 04-19-2015
Oh right, I see. It is a totally different plant. Thanks Catherine. I didn't realise that.
It's also called "Milkweed" here. How confusing.
RE: Got Milkweed! - Catherine - 04-19-2015
You probably had the name milkweed first, just like you had the name Robin first. I think your milkweed is more useful to humans. Our milkweed is food for Monarch Butterflies. Other than that it isn't used for anything.
It is hard when a species is dependent on one type of plant. On the other hand, we know what to do to help them.