Re: butterfly bush NOW Asclepias Aphids

Mine get aphids, too, but they seem to be unique to the Asclepias. They are orange and don't seem to travel to other plants. The Ladybugs enjoy eating them, and I like to squish them -- sick, isn't it? At any rate, the monarch caterpillers don't seem to mind them so I just leave them alone.
zem
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna" <gossiper@sbcglobal.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 10:44 PM
Subject: RE: [CHAT] butterfly bush


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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