Thursday, June 11, 2009

Asclepias tuberosa foliage and flower buds

[Photo: Asclepias tuberosa foliage.]My butterfly weed was slow coming up (normal for this plant) but has really shot up in the last couple of weeks. Although it's closely related to common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), butterfly weed does not have milky sap, and as you can see the foliage is much narrower. [Photo: Ascelpias tuberosa flower buds.]I'm happy to see loads of flower buds. Butterfly weed is one of the few bright orange native flowers in our area—here's a photo from last year.

I bought this plant a few years ago at the Superstore at Don Mills and Eglinton. That year, President's Choice had a line of native plants, but they don't seem to have this line any more. Perhaps native plants can't withstand the rigors of spending weeks in a supermarket parking lot waiting to be sold?

1 comment:

  1. The Loblaws at Victoria Park north of Gerrard did have quite a few natives (and branded as such; sold in coir pots) though I didn't notice any asclepias. I did get myself some Hepatica, which I love.

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