The plight of bees and monarchs are a cause for concern, and you might wonder what you can do to help them rebuild their populations. Allowing a few common milkweed plants, which can be found in at least 39 states and seven regions of Canada, to grow near your home is a fantastic way to support both bees and butterflies. If you don’t want a plant that grows 3-5 feet tall, then you can opt for one of the other 11 milkweed species that support monarchs and might be native to your area.

One of my favorite things about common milkweed is how the flowers’ sweet scent wafts through the air as I garden nearby from June through August. No wonder there are multiple kinds of butterflies, bumblebees and honey bees that love to visit its flowers.

Common Milkweed with Bumblebee, Monarch Caterpillar and Monarch Butterfly
Common Milkweed with Bumblebee, Monarch Caterpillar and Monarch Butterfly

While taking pictures of the seed pods, I marveled at how the silk practically glowed in the sunlight. I know I should have plucked these pods earlier to cut back on how many seeds will grow next year. I allow a handful of plants, but who has time to time to spend weeding/thinning that many milkweed plants every year? But such is life, and I’m not perfect.

Common Milkweed Seed Pods
Common Milkweed Seed Pods

If it seems a shame to cut off the pods and sacrifice the seeds to my fire pit, then let me soothe your mind with the thought that there are some clever uses for the seed silk (also known as coma). Practical uses include insulation for coats and hypoallergenic filling for pillows. A Canadian company,
Encore3, also discovered the silk is a low-cost material for cleaning up oil spills. I suppose there’s always the chance I’ll remember to trim off the pods next year…and turn them into a nice new pillow.

P.S. The scientific name of the common milkweed is Asclepias syriaca.

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