Monarch butterfly pollinating common milkweed .
and flowers around it . In areas that have been left undisturbed , you ’ re likely to see large clusters of common milkweed growing together . It typically grows 3-5 feet tall and is adorned with multiple “ balls ” of pinkish white flowers
Reliance of butterflies on milkweed offers forth a simple equation — one where more milkweed today means the chance for more butterflies next year .
from mid-June to mid-July although depending on the site and the weather , you could find them flowering into August . The nectar is attractive to multiple types of bees and most importantly the common milkweed is the host plant for monarch butterflies . In large enough numbers , you can smell a sweet , almost fruity scent yards away .
Swamp milkweed ( Asclepias incarnata ) is a species found in more moist soils , often near creek beds or areas that temporarily flood . When exploring in the wild on a path through the woods or on a gravel road , look along the edges of swampy areas , especially those that get full sun . This milkweed typically reaches 4-5 feet tall and has showy purplish-pink flowers from late June thru early August . The leaves are narrower than the common milkweed and the flowers a richer color . Swamp milkweed is loved by butterflies and provides an important food source during the mid-summer months .
The third milkweed you may run across here in Loudoun county is butterfly weed ( Asclepias tuberosa ). The color on this plant is unlike the two other milkweed , displaying a vibrant orange or occasionally bright yellow to red blooms . The flowers and the overall plant tend to be a bit smaller than those of the common or swamp milkweed typically growing around 18-30 inches tall . It ’ s often hard to see butterfly weed growing in the wild as it ’ s overshadowed by grass and taller plants . If you spot the deep color standing out among the green and brown of the surrounding grass , it ’ ll generally be around the edges of a field or an area it can retain full sun and not be crowded out . Hummingbirds , bees , and of course butterflies adorn the blooms in late June thru July as the flowers are rich in both nectar and pollen .
The next time you visit western Loudoun during the summer , keep your eyes open for clusters of pinkish purple flowers poking out of the grass , or bright orange flowers hidden close to the ground . If you find monarch butterflies while outside , follow them as they most inevitably will lead you to milkweed . Reliance of butterflies on milkweed offers forth a simple equation — one where more milkweed today means the chance for more butterflies next year . Get out and wander Loudoun ’ s countryside .
Jason Donahue is a Midwest transplant who spent most of his childhood on a family farm raising cattle and growing corn and soybeans . Jason now lives in Loudoun with his wife and kids where they enjoy tending a garden , orchard , bee hives , and several acres of wildflowers . They are members of conservation organizations and remain passionate about sustainable agricultural practices and the preservation of wildlife / pollinator habitat .
14 wander I fall • winter 2020