Re: butterfly bush

I had an Ice Ballet for one summer- it was completely covered with 
florescent orange aphids!  But, then it died over the winter- so now I 
just have a yellow, and one that is 2-toned (red/yellow) that I love.

Theresa

Donna wrote:

>Asclepias tuberose is the orange common one. My Monarchs don't seen to mind
>which one they attack. I love them, but have gotten rid of the common one as
>I just can't deal with all those aphids! The pink (incarnata) and white (Ice
>Ballet?) don't seem to be bothered with aphids as bad...at least
>controllable!
>
>I bet that strip is gorgeous in bloom Auralie! Who knows maybe some day I
>will get up into your neck of the woods to see both great places, yours and
>Henriette Suhr's garden.
>
>Donna
>
>  
>
>>The milkweed that is specific for monarch is "common" milkweed,
>>Asclepias syriaca, which has very pale lavendar or pinkish flowers.
>>I think they may eat some others, as I have seen them on my cultivated
>>Asclepias, too.  The "swamp" milkweed is, according to the Audubon
>>Society Field Guide,  Asclepias incarnata, a deep pink flower.  I am
>>not familiar with it, but doubt it is the one specific for monarchs, for
>>the
>>guide says it contains less of the milky sap that gives monarchs their
>>protective nasty taste to predators. I have a bed of the "common"
>>ones in the narrow strip between the drive and the boulder.  People
>>say "you have to get rid of those weeds," but I encourage them.  Not
>>only for the monarchs, but because I like them.  I think the flowers are
>>lovely, I love their fragrance, and if I am lucky enough to get pods, I
>>love them, too, for dried flower arrangements and various crafts.
>>When the plants begin to get ratty late in the summer I just cut them
>>down unless they have bods - most don't.
>>But then I guess you all know by now that my garden is not your
>>conventional flower-bed.
>>Auralie
>>
>>In a message dated 06/13/2005 5:41:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>>tchessie@comcast.net writes:
>>Do monachs use any of the other asclepias?   Exactly which one it "swamp
>>milkweed"?
>>
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