We have weeds, just like each and everyone of you have weeds.
We have all sorts of thistle, from the bull thistle to the Nodding Thistle,
we have common weeds and we have weeds that some sort of use –like Scour Weed (this weed was used by the pioneer’s to scour out their pots)
But I think my favorite weed is the Milkweed (not the poisonous kind).
The Milkweed of Monarch Butterfly food.
There are others the Monarch Butterfly likes for food — Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Butterflyweed (Asclepias Tuberosa) —but the tall and stately Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).
The Monarch butterfly female lays her eggs on the underside of a milkweed leaf, and the larvae feast on the leaves. Milkweed is the ONLY food these caterpillars eat, though adult butterflies will sip nectar from many other flowers.
The University of Kansas and director of Monarch Watch (http://www.monarchwatch.org) have stated that acres and acres of milkweed has disappeared from the fields, side roads and byways across our mighty land.
And just because we had that huge and nasty fire, and the ugly invasive Russian Knapp Weed and the Canada Thistle have squatted down in great comfort, along has come these beautiful weeds, food of the Monarch Butterfly.
A monarch is that heroic butterfly that flies as far as 2,000 miles from thier northernmost range in the eastern provinces of Canada, down through the Undited state clean to the Transvolvanic Range in central Mexico, where they cluster by the millions in the oyamel fir forests.
(Wouldn’t it be a huge delight to see this…all those millions of orange and black butterflies in the forest? It is something I would delight in seeing!)
So even though we are having a huge heatwave/drought, along with parts of Oklahoma, Texas and Mexico and other places in the west/southwest/south–when the Monarchs start their trip in late summer and early fall…our milkweeds will be here. And the little Monarch that I hope are living on them can take up the same flight feeling full and nourished for the long, long trip!
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
Hi Linda, I don’t appreciate weeds like some people do… Some people call them wildflowers and love them all. I just call them pesky weeds. I guess, to me, I don’t mind seeing all of these weeds when they are out in a field somewhere –or next to the road as we drive… They are good for many of our critters/bugs/birds, etc… BUT–I don’t like seeing them in MY yard… ha ha
Great post….
Hugs,
Betsy
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Great post!
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Talk about lemons and lemonade…you have a great attitude!
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You’ve made a great case for allowing milkweed to grow. I only wish my Dad had read this when I was young and had to get rid of the milkweed in the corn. Thanks for all the great information and neat photos.
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I hope so too!
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You’ve really done your research on this one. Great information and photos.
I’m always sorry to hear when someone is in a drought.
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Love the information on the butterflies and the photos of the milkweed!
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One thing taken away, one thing given. The milkweeds are lovely!
Thanks for sharing the story with us. :o)
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So much of the milkweed and wild asparagus has disappeared with the invention of Roundup. Now most ditch banks around here are almost free of anything but grasses. Which is sad. Like you say, some weeds are good.
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I read about milkweed on Michelle’s Nature Notes — you should definitely leave it growing, for the butterflies! All of your weeds are beautiful, and I for one would definitely call them wildflowers. Hope you’re enjoying your vacation, and I wish I had time to visit all the bloggers I read in Colorado. (We’re on a brief roadtrip, now at Mesa Verde NP, and then back to the kids’ house laater this week.)
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I try to save the milkweed when mowing. The drought here is very destribing here. I can not look at the small drying up corn.
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I plant more Milkweed every year…some comes up and some doesn’t. What does gets eaten by the larvae..:)
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