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Purple milkweed (asclepias purpurascens) attracts bees and other pollinators. A Monarch Butterfly host plant. May 2012

The first milkweed to bloom in my garden is ascelpias purpurascens, a native wildflower. Blooming and returning reliably this purple milkweed was purchased and planted four years ago. To date, there are only two seedlings that have volunteered nearby. Unlike common milkweed (ascelpias syriaca), this one isn't an agressive self-sowing perennial and I'd actually like to see more of this asclepias variety.

Being deer and rabbit resistant, the only issue I've had has been with the orange and black milkweed bugs eating the blooms. I pick those bugs off the flowers and send them packing.

The large globe blooms attract pollinators and the leaves are food for the caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly—though they seem to like the thin-leaved swamp milkweed (asclepias incarnata) when choosing plants in my garden for egg-laying. There have been times when I've had to move Monarch caterpillars from the swamp milkweed to the leaves of the purple milkweed!  I tend to think this is because of the location of the milkweeds, with the swamp being among lush plants that serve as good places for the chrysalis and metamorphosis.

The veins in the long leaves of purple milkweed are a deep raspberry color like the large blooms. The sturdy stems are not weighed down by the blooms, standing straight in the garden, up to three feet in height and two feet in width. It is easy to tuck this one into a small space.

Hardy in zones 3-9, purple milkweed prefers a bit more moisture when planted in full sun (as in my garden). Though, in my garden, it is planted in a rather dry area, but the roots are shaded by neighboring perennials such as nepeta and agastache.

This is my favorite milkweed in terms of ornamental uses in the garden as well as being out of the ground in time for the early migrating Monarch butterflies.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Hemaris thysbe (clearwing hummingbird moth) visits the Liatris ligulistylis (Rocky Mountain blazing star). June 17, 2011. (If this photo is too large for your browser, click on it to view in a separate window.)

There's a Hemaris thysbe on the Liatris ligulistylis. I can't say that three times unless I've had three cups of coffee. It also helps to be wide awake so I can tell the difference between a hummingbird and a hummingbird moth.

Hemaris thysbe is better known as a clearwing hummingbird moth. Liatris ligulistylis is better known as Rocky Mountain or meadow blazing star. Both are natives, though the blazing star is typically found west of Missouri.

Host plants for the moth include honeysuckle (lonicera), hawthorn, cherry and plum (prunus) trees. The moth enjoys the nectar of blazing star and other garden favorites such as bee balm and phlox. Just like a butterfly, this moth starts as a caterpillar and undergoes metamorphosis.

Blazing star grows 4-6 feet in cultivated gardens. I provide supplemental water, but it survived the 2010 summer of 90 days over 90°F like a trooper. This blazing star can be grown from seeds and is suitable for zones 4a-9b. I have good, strong blooms this year, so I hope to gather seeds before the Goldfinch.

Blazing star is not rabbit resistant. I have to spray the base of this plant with repellent to keep the lumberjacks from chopping it down. This is the second year for my plant and the bunnies munched it quite a bit when it was first planted. It grows rapidly if you can keep the rabbits away during the growth spurt in spring.

I cannot say for sure if the liatris is deer resistant. If the rabbits eat it, then there is a possibility that the deer will go for it when other food is scarce (or, when they are particularly lazy about finding food in the wild).

What about companion flowers?

Monarch butterflies are particularly fond of this nectar plant, so I have it growing just up the slope behind the swamp milkweed (asclepias incarnata).

Monarda 'Raspberry Wine' and 'Blue Stockings' and Echinacea 'Ruby Star' are the companions in bloom right now. I just cut back the rose campion as the blooms on that one were fading and it was time to collect seeds. The garden surrounds this plant, so I also have a chocolate joe-pye (dark leaves, will bloom white), milkweed and bog sage on the lower side. Russian sage is starting to bloom up on the same level beside the coneflowers. In other words, I grow about anything I want with this versatile perennial wildflower.

No matter how difficult to spell, type and pronounce and protect from rabbits, liatris ligulistylis has a permanent home in my garden.

Left front: liatris ligulstylis (meadow blazing star). Right front: echinacea 'Ruby Star' (coneflower). Back: monarda 'Raspberry Wine' (bee balm).

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Just mention "weed" to a gardener, and you're likely to hear moaning and groaning. It's too bad that a few good perennials have a common name that includes that infamous word.  I've created a garden section dedicated to three good weeds—Joe Pye Weed 'Little Joe', Swamp Milkweed 'Cinderella' and Ironweed.

Although the top sections of my deer resistant garden are for drought-tolerant plants and lean soil, the bottom section is moist when it rains. Plants for the lower section are suited to rich soil and wet winters, but can survive drought with drip irrigation.

This color-coordinated combination works well with blooms from pink to purple. All three grow to a similar size and bloom times overlap, from middle to late summer. But, I didn't plant these just for a good design. These perennials are bee and butterfly magnets!


A new addition to my garden this year, Joe Pye Weed (eupatorium dubium) 'Little Joe' is standing trial in the deer resistant garden. Although this plant appears on many deer resistant lists, I purchased only one to try. If the deer leave it alone, I'll definitely add more. It is rabbit resistant. I run the bunnies out of the garden several times a day. The foliage is lovely and the blooms, just now forming, are stunning!

Unlike the tall, native Joe Pye Weed, the cultivar 'Little Joe' should reach only 3-4 feet in height. Rated for zones 3-8, it can be grown from seeds or divided in spring.


Another newcomer that is also on trial in the deer resistant garden is Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata). This is another rabbit resistant plant. Rated for zones 4-8, and growing 3-4 feet tall, ironweed looks great beside 'Little Joe' and the swamp milkweed 'Cinderella'. This native plant can also be grown from seed. It has been blooming on several stems. I decided to  deadhead a few fading blooms to test it for repeat blooms.


Swamp milkweed (asclepias incarnata) 'Cinderella' is such a lovely pink. The original three milkweeds were added a few years ago and I've been increasing the numbers by growing the plants from seeds. I have five new plants this year from the seeds directly sown last fall, so there is now a big mass of at least twelve plants. A host for Monarch butterflies, I'll never be without this wonderful plant.

The deer and rabbits never touch the milkweed, but watch out for aphids. For growing zones 3-8, don't give up on this plant while waiting for it to emerge in spring. Even in my zone 7b, it will wait as late as May to make an appearance, and then quickly grows to four feet in height. Since the Monarch caterpillars eat the foliage, I have this planted behind the foliage of Japanese irises that bloomed in spring, purple coneflowers, bee balm, ageratum and shasta daisies.


To break away from an all-pink theme, these plants are backed by blue Russian Sage, purple fountain grass, and coneflowers that are growing up the slope. Agastache, blazing star (liatris ligustylis) and salvias are also grown in the drier soil. This entire section of garden was completely dug out and replanted in fall 2009. It will take another year or two for all the plants to mature, increase in number and fill in the gaps.

There are two more areas that I want to use for this same grouping. If the eupatorium and vernonia pass the deer trials, I'll expand the other lower sections of the garden to make room for more "weeds."

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Finally, a Monarch butterfly arrived in my garden on July 3, 2010!  There are many milkweed (asclepias) plants in my garden (a certified Monarch Waystation), waiting to host the Monarch caterpillars.

I followed this Monarch around the garden as she visited her favorite nectar plants that are currently in bloom:

butterfly bush (buddleia)
stick verbena (verbena bonariensis)
coneflower (echinacea purpurea)
joe pye weed (eupatorium dubium)
ironweed (vernonia fasciculata)
blazing star (liatris ligulistylus)
hummingbird mint (agastache)
cosmos
zinnia

For more information about the fascinating Monarch butterflies, visit Journey North for details on the 2010 migration and Monarch Watch to learn about how you can have your garden certified as a Monarch Waystation, too.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

The Monarch Spring Migration Begins in March

The spring migration of the Monarch butterflies starts around the second week of March. The Monarchs will leave their winter habitat in Mexico and begin their journey to our gardens in search of nectar and host plants. The Monarchs will travel through several sections of the United States during the spring migration.

The Monarch overwintering habitats were hit hard by torrential rains, snow, hail and cold temperatures. The Monarch news at Monarch Watch is still filtering in about the impact of the weather on the population. A reduction in the survival rate is of great concern and we are in the best position to help the returning Monarchs successfully reproduce by growing milkweed in our gardens.

Milkweed is the only host plant for the Monarch Butterfly.

The female lays eggs on the milkweed leaves. Those eggs hatch into caterpillars that later become butterflies. Raise caterpillars in your garden by growing asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed), asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) or other varieties of milkweed.

In some zones, it may be as late as June before the milkweed has returned. It is a late plant to emerge after winter. For this reason, it may also be late spring or early summer before garden centers have milkweed available for sale. A few of the mail-order nurseries sell milkweed plants and seeds.

When shopping in spring, please buy a few milkweed plants (with leaves) and plant those for any early spring migrating Monarchs. Monarch activity also occurs during August through October for the fall migration.

Nectar plants feed the Monarch Butterflies and as a gardener, you probably already have a butterfly garden. There are so many nectar plants favored by butterflies—cosmos, marigold, verbena and zinnia are good annuals; asters, bee balm, coneflowers, susans and sedum are good perennials and wildflowers. A few butterfly bushes will keep all the butterflies happy, too.

What can gardeners do to help the Monarch Butterflies?

Grow milkweed.
Grow nectar plants.
Do not use insecticides or pesticides.

Please share the "Milkweed for Monarchs" message with other gardeners and bloggers!

Please link to this story to spread the word. Write your own story about Monarchs, or drop me a note to receive a copy of this story to republish.


Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are owned by those respective companies or persons.

It's award season once again. The winners for the Best Plant Performance in 2009 are...


Best Perennial in a Leading Role
Salvia guarantica 'Black & Blue'
The hummingbird's choice—this salvia is planted en masse in several gardens. She fits into any color scheme, performing all summer and into autumn before the frosty curtains fall.


Best Perennial in a Supporting Role
Creeping Perennial Heliotrope 'Azure Skies'
A carpet of blooms all summer long, she supports the taller perennials. A winner every year!


Best Makeup
Coreopsis 'Red Shift'
'Red Shift' changed her makeup on a daily basis. She looked just as stunning 'au naturale' with her pale yellow face as she did with dramatic red eyeshadow. For her grand finale, she went for a rosy red complexion.


Best Costume
Agastache 'Salmon and Pink'
With such versatile attire, this star wins again! She never wilts under the sunny spotlights—she is always fresh and neat through heat and humidity.


Best Visual Effects
Benary's Giant Zinnia
Sure to be an "annual event" in my garden. She poses perfectly for every shot.


Best Foreign Perennial
Iris ensata 'Mount Fujiyama'
This exotic flower, with her slender grace, wins again!


Best Script
Agastache 'Purple Haze', Echinacea 'Prairie Splendor', Monarda 'Raspberry Wine'
This plot is never boring!


Best Sound Effects
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Buzzing with honeybees and host to Monarch Butterflies—wonderful garden music.


Best Short Subject
Eupatorium coelestinum 'Wayside' (Hardy Ageratum)
The sea of ageratum creates waves along the garden path.


Best Cinematography
buddleia 'Adonis Blue', spirea 'Neon Flash', salvia gregii 'Dark Dancer' and purple iris ensata
We close the awards with a technicolor landscape scene.



All of these plants were grown in full sun, zone 7b in North Carolina. Here's a recap of the stellar performers in 2008.


What were the 2009 best performers in your garden?

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks/copyrights/patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

There are annuals still blooming boldly in the garden, even after several light frosts. There are zinnias, ageratum, cosmos and marigolds that still look great. I don't think marigolds know when to stop. Besides that, they've never looked ragged.

Granted, the marigold seeds were sown the first two weeks in July so that there would be fall color.

There are autumn colors of yellow, gold, orange and red. If you think marigolds look too gaudy for summer, try them for autumn. The combination of the annual (in my zone) purple fountain grass with the tall marigolds works well enough that I may actually plan this combination again for next year.

Please don't ask me to identify the marigolds in my garden. I picked up packets at stores, ordered online and didn't take the time to document any of these. I faintly remember sowing seeds from a 'Crackerjack Mix' somewhere in the garden.

I never cared for marigolds until I planted them this year. Previously, my impression was a vision of straight rows of plantings outside commercial buildings.

I just scattered the seeds - literally and liberally - in any blank space available. I don't advise this. I definitely got carried away and there are still little marigold seedlings sprouting everywhere. Next year, there will be a little more order and attention to my marigold seed sowing. I've already ordered a packet of lemon yellow single blooms for next summer.

As for my favorite bloom shape, I prefer the single blooms of the French marigolds over the carnation type double blooms.

As for the bees and butterflies, they love all of the marigolds. The Monarch butterflies are particularly attracted to the single marigolds and big bumblebees love to sleep on the cushions of the double blooms. And for the late-arriving Monarch butterflies that have been showing up all fall - thank goodness for marigolds.

Some of the marigolds are short and some are very tall. They've exceeded my expectations for the common marigold. I'll no longer look down my perennial-loving nose at these common annuals. They've added plenty of punch and pizzaz in the garden for autumn.


Words and photos by Freda Cameron; Home garden; late October 2009

It was an exciting thing when one of the Monarch caterpillars moved from the asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) over to a large container planted with purple fountain grass, lantana, Persian shield and ageratum. I first noticed the "J" shape (that indicates the cat is ready to form the chrysalis) on August 30.

The next morning the cat was still a "J" but by afternoon of August 31, the chrysalis was formed.



This morning, I went out for my morning walk/run and noticed that the chrysalis was changing. I could see the design of the Monarch. By the time I finished my walk, this little girl had emerged!



It took exactly two weeks from the formation of the chrysalis to today's eclose. Our Monarch took a few hours to dry her wings and flap them to get some strength. She then moved onto the lantana blooms for nectar. This afternoon, she was flitting about the garden to feed on buddleia, marigolds, zinnias, agastache and salvias.

What a thrill to watch the metamorphosis! I'll be on the lookout for the other six caterpillars that fed on the milkweed. I should see more of the Monarch butterflies later this week. I think my garden has definitely earned the Monarch Waystation certification!

For more information on providing a habitat for Monarchs, visit Monarch Watch.

Photos and words by Freda Cameron; Location: home garden; August/September 2009

Metamorphosis is a fascinating process. From an egg to a caterpillar to a chrysalis to a butterfly, the life cycle happens quickly.

If you live in the migration path of the Monarch butterflies, you have an opportunity to provide a habitat so that you can observe this amazing miracle of nature.

Each day, I check the different patches of milkweed in my garden to see if more eggs have hatched. So far this August, there are seven Monarch caterpillars (aka "cats") in my garden. All are on the pink swamp milkweed, asclepias incarnata. I also have white swamp milkweed as well as the orange milkweed, asclepias tuberosa, to serve as host plants.

After the caterpillars eat the foliage on the milkweed plants, they move to another plant nearby as the chrysalis formation begins. The top photo shows a cat that has moved from the milkweed to a purple fountain grass. The grass is growing in a container about ten feet away from the group of milkweed.

Because the milkweed is poisonous, this serves to protect the cats (and butterflies) from being eaten by birds. If a bird takes a bite of a Monarch, it will make them sick and they learn to recognize the Monarch butterfly. The bright orange and black coloring of the Monarch butterfly serves as a warning to the predators. This coloring is a symbol for poison!


Photos and words by Freda Cameron; Location: home garden; August 2009

The seeds of asclepias incarnata, as well as asclepias tuberosa, will self-sow in the garden if the pods are left on the plants. In other words, you can let Mother Nature sow more milkweed plants. However, because the milkweeds are late to emerge in the spring, it is easy to disturb or destroy the new plants while working in the garden. Even mature milkweed plant locations need to be marked. Here in my zone 7 garden, the milkweeds emerge in June.

Asclepias incarnata, or swamp milkweed is best sited in moist, even boggy, soil locations.

Any plant that self-sows in your garden is a good candidate for fall sowing. For example, I collected the seeds of echinacea 'Prairie Splendor' and purchased seeds of echinacea 'Ruby Star'. I sowed the seeds in October last year while sowing larkspur, poppies and planting allium bulbs. By late spring, the seedlings were showing in the garden. In the last week, a few of the plants started blooming.

There are some disadvantages to sowing seeds in the fall. If you mulch or add compost to your garden, then the seeds will be covered over with a layer of organic matter, making it difficult to germinate. Areas of bare garden soil are needed for direct sowing. Birds may also forage and pick seeds sown in the garden, especially the seeds of flowers that they love, such as echinacea. Some weed suppressors, such as corn gluten, will not only suppress weed seed germination, but also the good seed germination!

Asclepias incarnata (like other milkweeds) is poisonous, so always handle the plants and seeds with care. The flat seeds barely need to be covered with soil, whether sowing in the garden, winter sowing or starting indoors. Asclepias incarnata seeds require refrigeration if started indoors.

Great directions for starting milkweed seeds are available from Monarch Watch. If you purchase any seeds, the packets should always come with directions for proper sowing.

Since asclepias incarnata seeds need cold stratification, some gardeners refrigerate the sown seeds in the cell packs in a refrigerator. I don't have an extra refrigerator for starting seeds after sown in the soil, so I will fall sow my seeds.

Those who like to winter sow, can start their seeds in containers outside in late winter. Seeds can also be placed between moist paper towels inside a ziplock bag to be refrigerated before sowing out in the spring after danger of frost has passed.

Perennials sown from seeds may take longer, sometimes 2 years, to bloom compared to large size plants that are purchased in pots from a nursery. Sow your seeds, mark the spot and be patient! Pink swamp milkweed is a beautiful perennial that is beneficial to bees and Monarch butterflies.


Photos and words by Freda Cameron

Asclepias incarnata or swamp milkweed, is a great perennial wildflower for full sun gardens in zones 3-9.

While swamp milkweed can handle boggy soils, it can grow in regular garden soil with occasional watering. Growing to around three feet tall, it is a good plant for middle of a border.

The soft pink to mauve blooms are bee and butterfly magnets. Don't be alarmed if you see caterpillars munching the leaves as this is a host plant for the amazing Monarch butterflies!

Here are the steps for collecting the seeds from asclepias incarnata. The same seed collection method will work with asclepias tuberosa.







Words and photos by Freda Cameron

Two Monarch Butterflies arrived in my Chapel Hill, North Carolina garden today. If you are tracking the Monarchs, Chapel Hill is at latitude 35°55'N and longitude 079°06'W.

The Monarchs found all of the asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) as well as the asclepias tuberosa. The milkweed doesn't have to be in bloom when the Monarchs arrive as it is the leaves that will host the Monarch caterpillars. The female Monarch will lay eggs on the leaves and it will take a month for the eggs to become adult butterflies.

Today's favorite nectar food appeared to be verbena bonariensis, orange cosmos and marigolds grown from seeds that I randomly sowed throughout the butterfly garden this spring. The Monarchs also visited the coreopsis, buddleia, and agastache.

The plants shown in the photos are, from top to bottom, cosmos, marigolds and milkweed. The cosmos and marigold seeds are readily available from many local and online sources.

Milkweed is more difficult to find unless you have a local retail nursery that supplies butterfly garden plants. However, milkweed is often available from online plant nurseries. For moist soil areas in bright sun, asclepias incarnata, is a tall, beautiful plant. All milkweed is slow to emerge in the spring, so mark the location so that you don't lose track of the plants. Milkweed returns in early June here in my zone 7b garden.

For more information on Monarchs and the fascinating migration, please look at the Monarch Watch website.

Another wonderful resource, especially for children's classroom participation is the Journey North:Monarch Butterfly Migration website.

Photos and words by Freda Cameron; Location: home garden, Chapel Hill, NC; August 13, 2009

The garden is buzzing with bee activity as they feed on flower blooms for nectar throughout the gardens. Honey bees and bumblebees are not aggressive. As much as I try to convince them that deadheading is necessary for certain plants to rebloom, they still don't like to give up a bloom. I try to gently shove them away with a gloved hand or tap the plant stalks with a trowel to get them to fly to another plant. The helpful bees are necessary for crops and flowers, so these are welcome guests in my garden.

Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum' (bronze fennel) is a wonderful host plant for the Black Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillars. I have four very tall fennel plants in bloom right now. This strong, sturdy and fragrant perennial also makes a great "deer fence" when planted closely together along the outside edges of the garden. The deer may nip a few of the tasty and tender fronds on the sides, but not as much as the human visitors to my garden! When allowed to flower, bronze fennel will reseed in a garden, so be sure to pull the unwanted seedlings in the spring to give to someone else to start a butterfly garden. Bronze fennel is a perennial in zones 4-9.


The milkweed plants are blooming for the bees, but I'm yet to see more than one Monarch butterfly this year. The milkweed plants, both asclepias incarnata and asclepias tuberosa, are ready to serve as food for the Monarch caterpillars.

Milkweed is another deer and rabbit resistant perennial and all parts are poisonous, but not to the Monarchs. The Monarchs use this as protection, since eating milkweed makes the caterpillars and butterflies taste bad to birds! The orange tuberosa is a perennial in zones 4-10 for full sun and lean soil. It usually grows to around 24-26 inches in height. The white and rose blooms of swamp milkweed are perennial in zones 3-8 and prefers to be in moist soil that doesn't dry out. Both plants are late to emerge in the spring, sometimes as late as June here in zone 7, so be sure to mark the locations in the garden.

Where are the Monarch butterflies? Chapel Hill, North Carolina is at latitude 35.94°N, so I can expect to see the Monarch migration here in late September through early October. I usually see the Monarchs as early as August. To find out more about the peak Monarch migration dates, visit the helpful Monarch Watch site.


Photos and words by Freda Cameron; Location: home garden; July 2009

The first Monarch butterfly showed up today. I planted more asclepias incarnata (milkweed) for them yesterday as I had lost quite a few plants during our cold, wet winter. I added the extras just in time! The milkweed serves as a host plant for the Monarch caterpillars. Favorite nectar plants include verbena, buddleia and agastache.

Our garden is a certified Monarch Waystation. For more information about requirements for certification, please visit the website of Monarch Watch.

Story and photos by Freda Cameron; Location: home garden; June 6, 2009