In June, I was happy to report that the showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) was blooming. No monarch butterflies just yet, but healthy, happy plants.
By late July things got even more interesting. The flowers had faded, only to be replaced by huge seedpods. Almost 3 inches long and green.
I was impressed, and of course I was wondering: "What's inside?" A few weeks ago, the mystery was solved. I had expected some truly huge seeds, but I was wrong.
The seeds were decent sized, maybe the size of a sesame seed, but each carried its own little parachute. And because the seeds weren't actually tiny, a big parachute was needed. Over the weeks, most have disappeared. I see them at times in various places in the garden. Maybe one will reseed, maybe not. For now, I'm just enjoying the show, and looking forward to next year's blossoms.
Comments
We could trade. I've got a couple different milkweeds.