NOW Aphids

Speaking of aphids......I have a Loquat planted in the front of the house
that has been rather abused. It's not gotten enough water, and then got
practically girdled when I stupidly hired someone to weed eat for me.
Anyway, it is trying to struggle back to life, although right now it look
like a Dr. Suess tree. Every day I go out to check on it, as I'm trying to
baby it back. The leaves are always covered with aphids and ants. Now
what's that all about? 

I have a huge Loquat in the back, never seen an aphid near it, and of
course it's growing like mad even though I whack it every year ( I'm
limbing it up to make a small tree, as well as the Dr. Suess tree in front) 

Every day I take the hose and spray off the offenders and every day when I
check it it's covered again. I know ants will "farm" aphids to feed off the
honeydew, but why are they on my Loquat?

Anyone?
A

Andrea H
Beaufort, SC 


> [Original Message]
> From: Zemuly Sanders <zsanders@midsouth.rr.com>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 6/14/2005 1:11:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] butterfly bush NOW Scalepans 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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