It took many years but it finally occurred to me that some of our most common plants have a more colorful history than our notably famous people do. The common milkweed is one of them.
Name: Horseshoe Griffin Efland, NC (Zone 7a) And in the end...a happy beginning!
Ditto! Great story, Sharon...
Milkweed is one of my favorite "weeds". It's right up there with mullein in my book!
I've got milkweed pods on my desk, waiting patiently for me to make little boats or something out of them. (And they've been waiting about five years.) Maybe one day! :>)
Name: leaflady planet earth Love the sinner, hate the sin
Wonderful story, Sharon. I love your Aunt Bett stories.
I would be so happy to have many more milkweed than I do but for some reason the population is spare in my yarden and nearby fields and pastures. I've even tried planting the seeds to no avail.
In the spring the tender young shoots make a wonderful substitute for asparagus. You MUST start with boiling water tho and use 3 waters or I've been told it is very toxic. I think I got that from the Uell Gibbons book.