First time growing this plant. Saw two seed pods this morning. Not embarrassed to say that I had no idea what they were until an hour after photographing them for ID. Then it occurred to me to check Google images and...

The question: Which is more beneficial, leaving them on the plant or removing them?

Do you want it to reseed?

I am more of a see-what-it-does gardener, so don't really have any strong preferences either way. If it can reseed where it is located, more power to it. Guess I want to find out--and what I should have 'splained in the first place--if there is a benefit to bees, birds, or butterflies by leaving the pods.

Not really, only for letting the plant reseed, and it may reseed far, far away as the seeds have feathery helicopters attached for any slight breeze to carry them away. When one dries a bit split it open and take a look. You can bury some seeds anywhere you would like to try and get new plants

Okay, I will cut one and let the other dry up a little. Thank you both.

Debra, I don't know if you have milkweed bugs in your area, but they drive me nuts. They are red and black, and show up in droves for the seeds and pods. They destroy the pods and seeds. They're not attracted to the plant itself.
See photos here


I don't usually allow mine to set pods for the simple purpose of avoiding thousands of milkweed bugs. Also, if the plant flowers early enough, and seed pods are removed, it should rebloom in the same season.

Karen

Karen, I don't know for sure if we do, but probably. I had dug the plant up from it's original location and pieces of root must have remained behind because there is a plant now growing in that original location. If it is that easy, guess I don't need the seeds. Thank you.

Milkweed bug kind of looks like Boxelder bug. Much easier to get rid of milkweed pods than an acre of Boxelder trees! Boy oh boy did I hate those darn bugs

That does it--the pods are going awayyyyy!

Another thing to consider when deciding if you want a plant to make seeds is the fact that it takes a whole lot of energy for the plant to make seeds. Many plants will start to decline rapidly if allowed to make seeds .. datura is a good example. By cutting off pods, the plant can 'spend' that energy on growth and flower making rather than reproduction.

Thank you, good information to have.

I tolerate most garden bugs well. I don't use pesticides. I'm not afraid of bees. Milkweed bugs don't seem to bite. What I find intolerable is that when they arrive, there are huge numbers of them. They can easily cover an entire pod. A few would be OK. Thousands are not, and I swear they can number in the thousands.

Karen

Good advice! I had purchased one last year and the year before and managed to kill them both. I will try again but no seed pods.

I'm gonna be a dare devil! I'm leaving my pods

That sounds so dangerous!!

If you have a Dollar Tree, go into the party section with the baby shower stuff and see if you can find those organza bags .. they come in two sizes .. I put them over seed pods so I won't lose any seeds and also keeps the bugs out but lets air and sun in. I also use them for isolating buds that I want to cross pollinate.

Ah, good idea for future. In meantime, I already trotted outside in my pjs yesterday and snipped those two potential warfare initiators right on off.

I think I'll start saving my milkweed seeds and scattering them on the side of the road so I can have more flowers to look at on the way home. I always did like the story of Johnny Appleseed.

In my city a big tractor would mow them down.