Plant Habit: | Herb/Forb |
Life cycle: | Perennial |
Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 5, 2014 9:02 AM "The Milkweed plant contains a chemical called cardenolides. This chemical is a form of a steroid and is a cardiac arrester (stops the heart). Different species of Milkweed have differing concentrations of this chemical. When a Monarch caterpillar eats the leaves from the Milkweed plant it ingests the cardenolides which then makes it toxic to many vertebrate predators. For example, if a bird ate a Monarch butterfly or caterpillar it would throw up. Research has found that Monarchs that have high levels of cardenolides (from having eaten those Milkweed plants with higher concentrations of the chemical) are much less susceptible to being predated by birds and mice! Isn't this a great way to keep the 'bad guys' away?" (My Monarch Guide.com) [ Reply to this comment | |
Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on May 20, 2013 9:29 PM "Milkweed is named for its milky juice which consists of a latex containing alkaloids and several other complex compounds including cardenolides. Some species are known to be toxic. [ Reply to this comment | |
Posted by Newyorkrita (North Shore, Long Island, NY ) on Sep 19, 2013 5:00 PM I do like both the white-flowered and the pink-flowered types of milkweed. Both are pretty and I grow both in my garden. The butterflies don't seem to be choosy. They also like both. Bees and butterflies both visit the flowers when they are in bloom, but Milkweed is the host plant for the Monarch Butterfly. [ Reply to this comment | |
MrsBinWY | On March 24, 2019 | Seeds germinated 2; 5 on 3-26-19 |
MrsBinWY | On February 2, 2019 | Seeds sown last of seeds from Joyce's in 2017 in milk jug in cold sun room; 3-22-19 moved to room temp |
MrsBinWY | On March 18, 2018 | Seeds sown 8x2 seeds from Joyce's in 2017 in 2.25" pots in garden hoop; one couple germinated right away but failed (probably from hot daytime temps in hoop); another germinated later but failed (probably from my bad watering) |
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