Milkweed: Butterfly Attractor or Weed?

[Devichan]

I recently found out that a plant I had growing in a raised bed was milkweed. I hadn't been uprooting it because I observed bees and other insects happily freaking out over it. Now I know it's milkweed, should I keep it? We know monarch butterflies are declining, and they're not the only ones I've seen out there. I don't spray at all. It happened to pop up in the area I had allocated for a butterfly garden next year, too!

What do you think about this? Should we be keeping "weeds" that are a good part of a healthy ecosystem, as long as they're in certain spaces and non-invasive to our area?

 

[Chuck]

I think if you have room it is great to have around. I live in a rural area and have lots of it. I doubt in a surburban enviornment it woud be welcome as it is invasive and can get out of control if not mowed down before it goes to seed.

 

[Trellum]

I really think you should keep it around, after all I don't think it can cause any kind of damage, so why not let it there! Maybe it can help out a couple butterflies!

 

[Devichan]

Hmm. Do you think I should save a seed pod as it starts to split and remove the others before they split, so they don't go everywhere but I still have seeds for next year? Has anyone actually ever cultivated it, or is it just so regarded as a weed that no one ever does?

 

[Chuck]

Hmm. Do you think I should save a seed pod as it starts to split and remove the others before they split, so they don't go everywhere but I still have seeds for next year? Has anyone actually ever cultivated it, or is it just so regarded as a weed that no one ever does?

I have never actually tried to grow it. I have to work so it doesn't take over. If I had the chance I would save the seeds and plant them where I wanted them and kill all the rest.

 

[TDolce]

I can't bring myself to pull up milkweed plants when I'm weeding. I will pull off the flowers in order to keep the seeds from developing, though. When it gets cold and the monarch butterflies are gone, I can happily remove the plants. In addition to being an important food source for the monarch caterpillars, I do believe that the milkweed has medicinal properties. It would take a better informed herbalist than myself to tell you more about it, as I had always viewed the milkweed as toxic. As a rule, I don't use any milky plants.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I recently found out that a plant I had growing in a raised bed was milkweed. I hadn't been uprooting it because I observed bees and other insects happily freaking out over it. Now I know it's milkweed, should I keep it? We know monarch butterflies are declining, and they're not the only ones I've seen out there. I don't spray at all. It happened to pop up in the area I had allocated for a butterfly garden next year, too!

What do you think about this? Should we be keeping "weeds" that are a good part of a healthy ecosystem, as long as they're in certain spaces and non-invasive to our area?

Weeds are nothing more than plants that are more tolerable than other plants. They're stronger than average plants.
As far as milkweed goes, I'd keep it. Its very important to butterflies and a butterfly garden wouldn't be complete without it. Just be sure remove the seed pod before it opens so it doesn't spread into your yard. You might want to look up Butterfly Weed (orange milkweed). I purchased seeds last summer and planted them in spring and one is finally about to bloom! The bright orange flowers makes it work with all different garden types, but perfect in butterfly gardens.

 

[Jewell]

Monarch butterflies rely on milkweed plant for their caterpillar stage. Some attribute the decline of monarchs in their wintering grounds in Mexico to the decline of milkweed in suburbia.

 

[Pat]

I also read that the decline of the butterfly could be because milkweed is being pulled as a weed and more people are using chemicals that are harmful to the butterfly to get rid of the plants.