Podcasts about Asclepias

My first experience growing plants in containers was in a rooftop garden in Brooklyn. The previous tenant left behind troughs and pots, and I was delighted to make use of them. I grew sweet corn, 8-foot sunflowers in clay pots and herbs of all flavors. I learned from my farmer uncle that corn had to be planted in two rows, not a single line, because it's wind-pollinated. I staggered a row of five in a curving line. That doesn't yield a lot of corn, but I liked the way it looked, and it felt grounding to have these sturdy, waving stalks among the industrialness of the neighborhood. The sunflowers were cheerful and untouched by the squirrels and chipmunks that keep me from growing them in Philipstown. At the end of the season, I would lop off the heads and give them to my neighbors, who kept chickens in an empty lot on the corner. The herbs were a sensory blast and sometimes used for cooking among the people who shared the space. The setup dictated the growing conditions. The rooftop was accessible after many stairs and walking through the kitchen and a bedroom. Lugging heavy bags of soil or other materials was a drag. I improvised compost and filler with leaves I collected in the street for mulch. There wasn't any shade, and the black tar paper under the containers was blazing hot. Setting the pots on stands helped. Water came from a hose that ran up the fire ladder from the courtyard below and had to be turned on and off at ground level. Getting that parkour workout was a bonus. Now I'm a flatlander, with acres of greenery and containers that form a border to keep people from falling off the patio. It was useful when my daughter was learning to walk. All were inherited from a previous owner or repurposed. I appreciate having herbs like chives and basil nearby for cooking and dill to attract caterpillars that become butterflies. I grow lettuce because it's close to the kitchen and easy to gather for salads. Sun-warmed cherry tomatoes, a summer luxury, are close at hand because everyone likes to grab one for a quick snack. I have two window boxes to plant - a gift handmade and installed by my husband. I considered how nice they would look on the stone wall of our house but realized I don't want to block the view from inside. I'm planning a low-growing mix with creeping thyme and stonecrop plants. A few things to address when planting containers: For vegetables, look for plants labeled "patio," which are bred to grow in small spaces. Watering is the most demanding part of container gardening. Larger pots allow for more soil volume that will dry out less quickly. Metal containers heat up fast and hold heat. Pottery is more stable temperature-wise but porous. Plastic is relatively stable, but it's got all the relative issues of being plastic; it's better to repurpose or acquire used plastic pots. Wood is a fine material. Commit to watering and set up a rain collection system nearby if possible. Monitor the soil daily if it isn't raining. Think about layers and maximize space by using tall, medium and shorter plants to fill out the container. If you enjoy fresh mint, grow it in a container to avoid its inevitable colonization of a flowerbed. The same is true for other vigorous plants. Soil sold in bags labeled as "potting mixes" is blended to maximize nutrients and drainage. Avoid using garden soil or topsoil, which are denser. I've never used mulch in container gardening but in larger troughs or with bare soil it could help with water retention. It's a myth that a layer of rocks at the bottom of a pot will help drainage. It makes it worse. Fill it with soil and make it snug around the plants to avoid air pockets. Mix perennials and annuals to lighten your workload. You don't have to start from scratch every year. Many pollinator-attracting plants will happily grow in pots. A few of my favorites are butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) and little bluestem, a native grass (Schizachyrium ...

Better Lawns and Gardens Hour 2 – Coming to you from the Summit Responsible Solutions Studios,  Happy Easter! Garden expert Teresa Watkins learns from Heather Stickney, Summit Responsible Solutions National Sales Manager about Deer Ban, their solution to keeping deer out of the landscape. Teresa's Dirty Word of the Day is Asclepias. Garden questions and texts include blackberry primocanes, thank you's for information on using micronutrients and upsizing a money tree, mango with squirrel problems, turkey eggs for Easter, CitraBlue turf, pruned Desert Rose not looking well, and more.  https://bit.ly3c1f5x7 Sign up for Teresa's monthly gardening newsletter, “In Your Backyard” where you can read Teresa's what to do in your landscape tips, Landscape Malpractice: How to know when to fire your landscaper,” Teresa's Design Tips; and more. https://bit.ly/2YRBbsT  Art in Bloom Garden Tours – The Newport Flower Show and Historic Block Island, June 19th – June 23rd, 2025.  the Buffalo Garden Walk and Niagara Falls, Canada, and The Gardens of Scotland. Come join Teresa on incredible garden tours!  Graphic credit: Teresa Watkins Listen every Saturdays from 7am - 9am EST on WFLA- Orlando. Call in with your garden questions and text messages on 1-888.455.2867 and 23680, Miss the live broadcast? Listen on Audioboom podcast 24/7. https://bit.ly/3c1f5x7   #WFLF #WFLA #FNN #WNDB #BetterLawns #gardening #Florida #planting #gardeninglife #radio #southflorida #northflorida #centralflorida #Deland #SHE #Orlando #Sarasota #Miami #FortLauderdale #podcast #syndicated #BLGradio #WRLN #WiOD #gardening #SummitResponsibleSolutions #QualityGreenSpecialists #BlackKow 

Teresa Watkins' Dirty Word of the Day, Asclepias. Our sponsor, Heather from Summer Responsible Solutions, explains their product "Deer Ban Deer Repellent" and how it works. Teresa answers your questions about blackberry primocanes, money trees, pruning a desert roses, Citrablue grass and Dichondra spreading in St Augustine grass.

Great news for the nearly-extinct monarch butterflies, which will pass through the area as they migrate back to Mexico. Also, to find out how blood affects aging, scientists can surgically connect two animals and let blood circulate between them.After California's Park Fire, A Second Bloom of MilkweedDon Hankins examines a bright yellow-green patch in the meadow. The land all around is charred by fire. But here, there's a sort of miracle at work. Native milkweed has sprung up and bloomed for the second time this year. This is not something these plants, Asclepias eriocarpa, also known as Indian milkweed, are known to do.They bloomed in late spring and early summer and had already done so this year when the Park Fire roared through. But the fire seemed to happen at just the right time to coax a second flowering, one that is likely to line up with the return migration of the monarch butterflies south to overwinter in Mexico. Monarchs rely on these flowers to complete their life cycle. For researcher Don Hankins, this is a surprise delight.“We may be coming back into some knowledge here that hasn't been practiced in a long time,” said Don Hankins, a professor at Chico State, who teaches classes in geography with a focus on fire. He is also a California Plains Miwok traditional cultural practitioner.Read the rest at sciencefriday.com.Inside The ‘Creepy' Procedure That Taps Into Young BloodWhile fictional vampires suck the blood of the young to live forever, some researchers have found that certain elements in young blood actually can improve the health of the old. This is possible through a spooky procedure called parabiosis, in which the circulatory systems of two animals are joined, letting the blood flow from one into the other.By connecting old mice and young mice through parabiosis, researchers have observed how different molecules in the blood impact symptoms of aging. While some outcomes have excited experts, enthusiastic biohackers attempting to defy their own aging might have jumped the gun. There's a long way to go before we understand how elements of young blood might be harnessed to treat aging humans.Emma Gometz, SciFri's digital producer of engagement, talks to Dr. Tony Wyss-Coray, a neurology professor at Stanford University who has used parabiosis (which he once described as “creepy”) to help reveal how components of our blood affect our cognition as we age. They discuss parabiosis, vampires, and how far the field has to go before humans can benefit.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Join us to talk about an amazingly complicated and beautiful wildflower Showy Milkweed! We cover the monarch migration, the many uses of milkweed from poison arrows to contraceptives and the latex! And Lexi the podcast makes a guest appearance! Thank you so much for listening! Follow us on spotify and tell a friend about the podcast! Follow us on instagram where we post pictures every week @wildforwildflowerspod email: wildforwildflowerspod@gmail.com Reddit: Wild for Wildflowers Join our facebook community: Wild for Wildlfowers Check out Cole's music on Bandcamp nforeman.bandcamp.com if you like the theme music! And don't forget to get outside and smell the wildflowers! Pollinator of the Moment: Monarch butterfly

Asclepias (nombre común asclepia o algondoncillo) es un género de plantas perennes, dicotiledóneas, herbáceas que tiene unas 140 especies conocidas. Pertenece a la familia Apocynaceae y muchas de sus especies son de distribución neártica.

Asclepias fascicularis plants living dangerousely close to the highway where mowing was preventing it from reseeding the surrounding area.      Seeds were collected and grown and planted back, along the fenceline to ensure the success of these plants into the future.      Grow your own milkweed from seed. Order seeds now at growmilkweedplants.com/store

Most of us may automatically think “monarch” after hearing the word “milkweed,” or vice versa. And that's in fact a critical and intimate relationship, the one between monarch butterflies and native milkweed plants. But the genus Asclepias offers sustenance to a wide diversity of animal species beyond just that one beloved insect. Today's guest is Eric Lee-Mader, author of the recent book “Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant: Its Nature and Ecology.” Eric is an ecologist at the invertebrate-focused Xerces Society, where he is the pollinator and agricultural biodiversity co-director. He and his wife also operate Northwest Meadowscapes in Port Townsend, Wash., providing regional native seeds and consultation services for meadowmakers.

Most of us may automatically think “monarch” after hearing the word “milkweed,” or vice versa. And that’s in fact a critical and intimate relationship, the one between monarch butterflies and native milkweed plants.  But the genus Asclepias offers sustenance to... Read More ›

Most of us may automatically think “monarch” after hearing the word “milkweed,” or vice versa. And that’s in fact a critical and intimate relationship, the one between monarch butterflies and native milkweed plants.  But the genus Asclepias offers sustenance to... Read More ›

While searching through our archive of episodes we discovered something: There are a few specific plants we just can't stop talking about. As the years have progressed here at Let's Argue About Plants, we find ourselves experimenting with more and more varieties, so we have something new to report back to you on. But frankly, there are a core of plants that we could talk about every episode because they are just that good. We try to mix it up, but these stars have made it into more than a couple recordings—and rightly so. With that, we decided not to fight nature and give these stars their spotlight. In today's compilation episode you'll hear about Carol and Danielle's top four plants...again...but for good reason. They are selections that no garden should be without, in our humble opinions.   Danielle's Plants Perry's Gold' Norway spruce (Picea abies 'Perry's Gold', Zones 3–9) ‘Crested Surf' painted fern (Athyrium niponicum 'Crested Surf', Zones 3-8) ‘Snow Fairy' blue mist shrub (Caryopteris divaricata 'Snow Fairy', Zones 6-9) Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia, Zones 4-9)   Carol's Plants Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum, Zones 3-8) New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus, Zones 4–8) Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa, Zones 3-9) Pink Icing® blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum ‘ZF06-079', Zones 5–10)

This program is increasingly becoming a Community Information Resource that assists our native plants and critters – no apologies here!  We read in the news that the DOC is translocating rare/endangered birds and lizards to keep them safe and increase their populations. Gardeners can do exactly the same thing for our butterflies and moths – we even have a New Zealand Moths and Butterfly Trust that does exactly the same thing, so why not join them and enrich your quarter acre Paradise?  Monarchs are mating and looking for places to lay their eggs. We all know their food plants:  Swan plants (bit boring in my opinion!) can be sown right now – Kings Seeds and other seed merchants have these popular plants in stock; Moths and Butterfly trust also stocks a heap of different seeds for Monarchs. Germination is good at warmer temps, and 21 degrees is recommended.  Fabulous Asclepias species with colourful flowers are also suitable host plants – more my gig!  Prettier relatives of the swan plant. Photo / Supplied  Whatever you sow: aim for heaps of plants and keep some of them in large pots as “spares” for when famine breaks out.  Admiral Butterflies love nettles to lay their eggs on; if you have a safe space you can try the native Ongaonga stinging nettle. Just be careful, they are ferocious (Hence their name Urtica ferox).  Red admirals are keen on that tree nettle (ferox) but will also feed on perennial nettle (dioica).  Yellow admirals tend to go for the smaller nettle species as food for the caterpillars.  I have both admirals in abundance here in the Halswell Quarry. The reds seem to overwinter here too.  Red admiral (left) – Yellow admiral (right). Photo / Supplied  Just be aware that red admirals may not be as common in the Auckland region, so extra food plants might make them be a little more “regularly observed”.  They are plentiful in the south though, the yellow admirals are pretty common right around the motu.  For our Blue Butterflies (commonly known as “Blues”), sow some Trifolium, Medicago or Lotus, as well as lucern, trefoil and clover species. Note how these plants are members of the Fabaceae (they are Legumes!).  Copper butterflies and boulder coppers (in the Genus Lycaena) are absolutely beautiful, mostly orange-coloured insects that fly quite erratically through the landscape, often not too far from their preferred host plant on which the caterpillars feed. By planting the appropriate species of Muehlenbeckia (complexa or australis, not astonii) you'll find the butterflies often “in attendance”.  The Bolder coppers are often characterised by a deep purple-blue reflection on the wing scales. Photo / Supplied Their food plant is Muehlenbeckia axellaris (creeping pohuehue).  More butterfly details can be found of the Moths and Butterflies Trust website: https://nzbutterfly.info/  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

View the video presentation on YouTube at https://youtu.be/B6hDbCMm_bU   Tweet inviting the public to watch the presentation live. https://twitter.com/elizabethRGV956/status/1682094411755270144?s=20  

Drought has become synonymous with gardening in the past several years. It seems like regardless of where you live, you will experience some sort of dry conditions in summer. This has led many of us to reevaluate our plant choices. Perennials we once relied on to fill our beds and borders may flag in July and August—or shrivel up and die altogether. In anticipation of drier conditions in the future, we're talking about plants that thrive in drought. These selections have built in traits that allow them to sail through long periods of no rain, and/or soils that have little-to-no moisture retentive properties. And we're not just talking about succulents and cacti here! Listen now to hear about an array of lush, floriferous perennials that thrive in desert-like environments. Expert guest: Ed Lyon is Director of the Reiman Gardens in Ames, Iowa.   Danielle's Plants 'Drops of Jupiter' oregano (Origanum 'Drops of Jupiter', Zone 4-9) Sandpaper bush (Mortonia scabrella, Zones 8b-11) 'Pink Champagne' epimedium (Epimedium 'Pink Champagne', Zones 5-8) 'Blue Paradise' little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blue Paradise', Zones 3-9)   Carol's Plants ‘Pink Diamonds' alpine bleeding heart (Dicentra ‘Pink Diamonds', Zones 3-9) ‘Caradonna' meadow sage (Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna', Zones 4-8) Bearded iris (Iris germanica cvs., Zones 3-9) Undaunted® ruby muhly grass (Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘PUND01S', Zones 5-9)   Expert's Plants Epimedium (Epimedium  spp. and cvs., Zones 4-9) Baptisia (Baptisia spp. and cvs., Zones 4-9) ‘Blackhawks' big blue stem (Andropogon gerardii 'Blackhawks', Zones 3-9) Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa and cvs., Zones 3-9) Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea, Zones 3-8)

Many know of Milkweed as a wonderful pollinator plant, but did you know it is also delicious?? On this episode the boys discuss how to identify Milkweed, how to prepare it to eat, how to distinguish it from dogbane, and on the second half they have a little Milkweed bud snack! Listen and share the show from your favorite platform (except utoob

One native milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, called butterfly weed, was super attractive to all sorts of bees, while common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca was the red-headed stepchild and completely ignored.

Do you want to start growing native plants in your yard, but don't know where to find them? Or maybe you aren't even sure what a native plant is for your area. Or maybe you are in a situation where you can't plant anything right now, but you still want to learn about native plants and enjoy them in the wild. Your state's native plant society may be able to help you in all of these situations. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we're joined by multiple guests representing native plant societies in different parts of the eastern U.S. Our guests are Randi Eckel from the Native Plant Society of New Jersey, Jeff Nelson from the Kentucky Native Plant Society, and Ellen Honeycutt from the Georgia Native Plant Society. We start our conversation with what seems like a very basic question, “What is a native plant?” As you'll hear, the answers were all similar in their broad sense, but some of the details were a little different. Which of course, led to a conversation about those slight variations in the definitions and why they are important to be aware of when you are talking about native plants. We then dove into talking about native plant societies and what they do. Every native plant society is going to be different and do different things, but they all share a love of native plants, conservation, and education. They also tend to be very accessible and include members of all experience levels – from the person just getting started on their native plant journey all the way to professional botanists with decades of experience. Native plant societies also tend to have lots of educational resources available online for anyone interested in native plants. I highly encourage you to check out your state's native plant society. Links to the Georgia Native Plant Society, Kentucky Native Plant Society, and Native Plant Society of New Jersey are below. I also included a link from the American Horticultural Society's website which lists information for each state's native plant society. On a side note, if you want to keep up with everything going on in the Backyard Ecology world, then please subscribe to our emails. You can do so at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. And when you sign up for our emails, you'll receive a link to download a free e-book that explains why our familiar garden zones don't mean anything when it comes to gardening with native plants. That's just our way of saying thank you for your interest in Backyard Ecology. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Georgia Native Plant Society: Website: https://gnps.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Native-Plant-Society Kentucky Native Plant Society: Website: https://www.knps.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knps.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kynativeplantsociety/ Native Plant Society of New Jersey: Website: https://www.npsnj.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NPSNJ/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nativeplantsocietynj Twitter: http://twitter.com/npsnj American Horticultural Society's list of native plant societies: https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-resources/societies-clubs-organizations/native-plant-societies/ Backyard Ecology: Growing Native Plants, Insect-Plant Interactions, Playing in the Pond, and Much More with Dr. Randi Eckel: https://www.backyardecology.net/growing-native-plants-insect-plant-interactions-playing-in-the-pond-and-much-more-with-dr-randi-eckel/ Website: https://backyardecology.net YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/backyardecology Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/ Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology Make a one-time donation: https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=K7F3HJLJT9F8N Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/ Episode image: Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Photo credit: Shenandoah National Park, public domain

Today's Native Plant is...     Asclepias verticillata (Whorled Milkweed) Produced by Kristianne Goodenough

Nada Beydoun is a registered herbalist with a BSc. in Microbiology and Immunology and Masters in Applied Human Nutrition. Her interests include SWANA region herbal medicines, and she has a community work background in refugee settlement and empowerment. And Fatima Matar is a passionate gardener supporting the work of growing and bringing awareness to milkweed and Monarchs since 2019. Outside of driving around with a backseat filled with milkweed plants, you can find her doing photography as a freelance photographer. And Nada and Fatima just so happen to be cousins! Several years ago, after learning about the dire situation of declining monarch populations and milkweed habitat loss, these two plant enthusiasts embarked on a journey to start stewarding milkweed for monarch butterflies. Monarch butterflies rely on milkweed to lay their eggs and feed their larvae. By growing milkweed, we can support endangered monarch butterflies and other vital pollinators.Together, in this episode of HerbMentor Radio, Nada and Fatima dive into the gifts of the wondrously aromatic milkweed, why they grow milkweeds for monarchs, and the ecological and cultural importance of monarch butterflies.Nada and Fatima also share...Why it's important to grow native milkweedWhy milkweed is so misunderstood (is it a noxious weed or no?!)How to grow milkweed and so much more!You can learn more from Nada and Fatima — and check out more of Fatima's beautiful milkweed and monarch photography — on Instagram at @beybotany and @naturewithfatimam.Please note: pleurisy root (Asclepias tuberosa), which is a species of milkweed, is contraindicated during pregnancy, and this plant does increase the risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity if taken with drugs or herbs that contain those constituents.PS...Get a special offer on HerbMentor right here.Build your herbal first aid kid with your Herbal Preparation Cards!

Summary: When we started our podcast, we always did a native plant spotlight at the end of each episode. We've compiled some of our favorites here so you can get those natives planted and attracting birds and butterflies to your yard!   For our hearing impaired listeners, a transcript of this podcast follows the show notes on Podbean.   Show Notes: Boyce Thompson Arboretum Plant Sale Info: https://btarboretum.org www.gardenia.net/plant/calliadras-california-baja-fairy-duster Hummingbird Plants of the Southwest by Marcy Scott Background bird song:  Naturescapes Backyard Birds www.naturescapes.com   Our email address, please reach out with comments, questions, or suggestions: thefeathereddesert@gmail.com Transcript Host Voice: Welcome to the Feathered Desert a podcast all about desert bird feeding in the Southwest region of the United States.  (bird calls and songs play) Cheryl Into:  when Kiersten and I first started to do these podcasts, we included a plant spotlight at the end.  Now that spring is on the horizon here in the Phoenix area, I thought we would highlight some of our favorite and most successful native plants to attract birds and butterflies. Kiersten:  Perennials Hummingbirds love. Firecracker Penstemon:  This is a showy plant with blossoms of fiery red (a color hummingbirds see very well) tubular flowers.  This plant is an important nectar source for hummingbirds nesting and migrating though your yard.  For much of the year it is a tidy evergreen until the stems start to grow and the blossoms appear.  it requires excellent drainage, full sun, and it heat tolerant. Chluparosa – Is a semi-evergreen shrub with long -blooming tubular flowers in various shades of soft red.  Not only is this plant an extremely important source of nectar for hummingbirds but it is known to attract orioles, warblers, goldfinches, house finches and White-crowned sparrows.  It is also the host plant for the larva of the checkered spot butterfly. Mexican Honeysuckle- Is a handsome hummingbird plant that is a real workhorse, cranking out blooms most of the year.  Red-orange tubular flowers with a distinctive three-lobed lower lips, are extremely valuable for wintering hummingbirds. It has a graceful upward spreading form and bright green heart-shaped leaves. It is a Sonoran Desert native found in sandy washes and rocky canyons bottoms at lower elevations 1,500-3,500 feet.  It is fast growing and likes well-drained fertile soil part to filtered sun depending on the elevations. Cheryl:  Now let's highlight two trees that hummingbirds love. Baja Fairy duster-This is one of my personal favorites, the fairy duster is an evergreen woody shrub/tree with bright red, powder puff flowers.  Blooming year-around with a peak display from spring through fall, the long-lasting and attractive blooms are highly attractive to birds such as verdins, and warblers, hummingbirds, bees and butterflies too.  It is extremely heat tolerant once established, needs well-drained soil, and its water demands are low.  It is virtually pest-free and disease free.  Pruning is generally unnecessary. Desert willow-this graceful tree both perching sites and nectar flowers for hummingbirds.  It has ruffled orchid-like, pale pink to rich burgundy flowers that peak in springtime but often continue throughout the summer.  This lovely tree is visited by hummingbirds and lesser goldfinches.  Lesser goldfinches feed on the fringed seed pods.  With light green willow like leaves and big blossoms this is a lovely addition to the front landscape.  Desert willows tolerate most soils and it is quite drought tolerant, it blossoms best in full sun.  If you water it once or twice a month in the summer that will prolong the tree's blooming.  So, let's talk about butterflies… Kiersten:  Butterfly weed-milkweed VS Butterfly Bush… Butterfly weed-Asclepias tuberosa, commonly known as butterfly weed, is a species of milkweed native to eastern and south western North America.  It is commonly known as butterfly weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by it's color ad its copious production of nectar.  Clump-forming perennial grows from tuberous roots to a height of one to two feet and is characterized by glossy-green, lance-shaped leaves and clusters of bright- orange- to -yellow blooms that are rich with nectar and pollen. Butterfly bush- Buddleja Davidii or more commonly seen in nurseries as Butterfly Bush is an invasive plant from China. We do not want you to confuse it with the above-mentioned plant Butterfly weed which is a type of milkweed.  It is deciduous shrub that can grow up to 15 ft high.  This bush cone shaped flower clusters at the ends of branches and has been cultivated over the years into many attractive colors such as pink, blue, magenta, purple, and yellow.  In nurseries it is advertised as being a wonderful Plant to attract butterflies and it does attract them but many of the cultivars have lost any real nutrition in their nectar offerings.  It is also only useful to the adult butterfly.  Any native NA butterflies cannot use it as a host plant because it is unfamiliar.  It is highly invasive and grows well in our country.  It's not quite as good at withstanding our desert heat but I have seen it offered in many nurseries in the valley. Once established in your yard it will seed after blooming and those seeds will spread and choke out any native plants nearby that are essential to a butterfly's life cycle.  One more thing it attracts the male Asian mosquito who drink the nectar from the flowers and where the male goes a female follows…waiting to suck your blood. Cheryl-I have two natives to the southwest that will do well in your backyard.  The first one is chocolate flower.  It is a fast-growing bush, grows to 1ftx2ft, full to partial shade, low water once it's established, well-draining soil.  This pretty, yellow daisy-like flower blooms from spring thru fall.  It has no thorns but the flowers have a distinctive chocolate scent.  Great for native bees and butterflies, birds eat the seeds in the fall, great native flower to add some color to a garden.  Right up there with Blanket flower and the Desert marigold. Next is Flattop buckwheat.  I like the name.  this is a shrub that is ever-green and it grows to about 1 foot tall and two feet wide.  It blooms from march to November with a white or pale pink flower.  It prefers full sun and well-drained soil.  It will need only a little water once established with supplemental water during the heat of summer.  Its naturally round form is useful on slopes for controlling soil erosion and needs very little if any pruning.  In the fall its seeds will provide food for birds and other desert animals and it is the host plant for the metalmark Butterfly and the Acmon blue butterfly.  Wonderful for native bees. Kiersten- here's one for the Bats! Parry's Agave (Agave parryi) This plant is native to AZ, NM, and Mexico this agave will produce gray green rosettes that grow 7-20 inches.  The leaves do have marginal teeth and a sharp tip but it makes a great accent plant in the desert as is needs little water and is very low maintenance.  It is a slow grower, so you're in this for the long haul, but when it blooms it is spectacular.  Twenty-foot-tall blooms with 20-30 offshoots that are red in buds and yellow when in full bloom.  It can take full sun and may need water every two weeks in the drought portions of the summer.  Needs very little water in the winter. The main plant will produce offshoots that will grow near by and do well if allowed to spread out a bit.  The off shoots can be dug up and removed if desired, after 5-10 years the agave will bloom and then die.  The off shoots will remain if left alone.  This is a great plant for the Lesser-long Nosed Bat and other nighttime pollinators. Cheryl- So I have a sticky one but its short. Desert hackberry- this is a shrub that is a host plant for several butterflies in the southwest including the American Snout, hackberry Emperor, and the Empress Leilia.  It also has berries that birds such as verdin, Northern mocking bird and Cedar Waxwings love.  This shrub requires low water once established, full sun, good drainage, and room. It can grow to be 8ft high, 10 feet wide but with pruning it will stay contained.  It does have thorns but birds love thorny bushes to keep them safe from predators. Kiersten-Our last plant is the Scrub oak.  We saved the best for last. This is a smaller oak at 8 feet tall and 12 feet wide.  It has leathery gray-green leaves that cover rigid branches.  This oak is native to AZ.  It does best at higher altitudes but can grow in the valley.  It will need supplemental water in the heat of summer and afternoon shade is beneficial but can take full sun at higher altitudes.  Like most sols and should be pruned only to remove dead leaves.  It can make an excellent hedge but it is slow growing.  Dense foliage provides shelter for birds and small reptiles and mammals.  Many desert animals eat the acorns and it is host plant to several desert butterflies.  Just a note of caution:  it is not a good choice for horse properties because acorns are poisonous to horses. Cheryl-Closing What a list!  Remember to think native when you are planning your spring gardening.  You cannot go wrong.  The birds, bees and butterflies will thank you and reward your efforts.  Happy Spring!  

It's fun to have favorite plants to look for on excursions into the hills. Looking back at photos and my notes, we have been checking on this particular population of Lemmon's milkweed for a few years. I'm guessing that as long as we're in the area, we'll continue to stop by for a visit. And yes, I did grab a couple seed pods (follicles) from a plant. Stay tuned. Botanical names of plants are usually followed by the name of who named it…the author citation. The genus Asclepias is followed by an L. That's Linnaeus. And if one looked through the numerous species names (200 plus), after tuberosa you see the citation L. Someone sent Linnaeus a dry specimen of a North American milkweed and Carl named it. So he is cited for both the genus Asclepias and the species tuberosa. But listen, it was the famous American botanist of the 1800s, Asa Gray that honored the husband wife botanists John and Sara Lemmon with the name lemmonii, for the species jabbered about in this episode, Asclepias lemmonii. Yay! The photos are mine.

In western Montana, monarch butterflies seem rare. But where there are patches of showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), it's still possible to get up-close with these endangered butterflies. I spent a late July morning looking closely at a large patch of showy milkweed in the Helena Valley. And I found monarchs! I also looked at this plant's weird pollination system, the hazards these flowers can pose for honeybees, and a few of the other specialized insects that inhabit our milkweed patches.

As far as milkweeds are concerned, Mead's milkweed (Asclepias meadii) doesn't grab a lot of headlines. That is a shame because it is a milkweed in desperate need of conservation attention. Its preferred habitat is unplowed, remnant prairies and those are growing increasingly rare as well. However, my guest on this episode has made great strides with her colleagues in our understanding of Mead's milkweed conservation needs. Join me and Dr. Christy Edwards as we explore the in's and out's of Mead's milkweed conservation. This episode was produced in part by Jocelyn, Gary, Krysta, Elizabeth, Southern California Carnivorous Plant Enthusiasts, Pattypollinators, Peter, Judson, Ella, Alex, Dan, Pamela, Peter, Andrea, Nathan, Karyn, Michelle, Jillian, Chellie, Linda, Laura, Miz Holly, Christie, Carlos, Paleo Fern, Levi, Sylvia, Lanny, Ben, Lily, Craig, Sarah, Lor, Monika, Brandon, Jeremy, Suzanne, Kristina, Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

The interest in gardening with native plants has been growing steadily, and I am very excited about that fact. Growing native plants in our gardens and landscapes can have many benefits – both for us as the gardeners and for the pollinators and wildlife that also call our yards home. Plus, we have some absolutely gorgeous native plants that deserve to be recognized in their own right. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Jennifer Ceska about gardening with native plants. Jennifer is a Conservation Coordinator with the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia, Athens. She and her colleagues are doing some amazing work and I am grateful for their efforts to help others learn about and grow native plants. Jennifer and I both love sharing our knowledge and passion of the natural world, as well as continuing to learn ourselves. We've just always been naturally curious and that is reflected in this very informal conversation. One of the many topics we discuss is growing regionally appropriate native plants. This is especially important because many plants are native to one part of the country, but not another. For example, I was recently surprised to learn that common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) isn't native to Georgia and can actually become problematic there because it spreads so aggressively. Jennifer said that she was surprised as well when she first learned that common milkweed isn't native to Georgia because so many resources and online maps show it as native across the eastern U.S. However, newer research has shown that it isn't native to Georgia which is one of the reasons why the State Botanical Garden of Georgia has created a brochure discussing the best milkweeds to plant in Georgia and the ones to avoid. Other topics of conversation include some of our favorite native species to plant in smaller areas and cues to care for native plant gardens or even when growing native plants in fields and “wilder” areas. Jennifer also shares with us some of the fantastic native plant programs and resources available through the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. If you live in Georgia, then I encourage you to take a look at these valuable resources. Links: Jennifer's email: jceska@uga.edu Brochure about what milkweeds to grow in Georgia gardens: https://botgarden.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/milkweedinformation.pdf State Botanical Garden of Georgia: https://botgarden.uga.edu/ Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/georgia-plant-conservation-alliance/ Georgia Native Plant Initiative: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/georgia-native-plant-initiative/ Connect to Protect: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/connect-to-protect/ Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year Program: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/pollinator-plant-program/ Georgia Grasslands Initiative iNaturalist project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/georgia-grasslands-initiative-ggi Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net My email: shannon@backyardecology.net Episode image: Purple coneflowers in a pollinator garden Photo credit: USFWS, public domain

Tropical milkweed...Monarchs' friend or foe? We dip a toe into contested territory with a look at Asclepias curassavica, the most controversial milkweed of all.  Up first: we chat about the spring rush and a secondhand ringtail cat sighting.   Want more? Join our Patreon for bonus content, early access to episodes, and fun classes.  Mentioned in this episode:  "For the Monarch Butterfly, A Long Road Back," New York Times (2014); "Tropical Milkweed: A No-Grow," Xerces Society (2018); Flight of the Butterflies (2012); "Tropical Milkweed OK for Monarch Butterflies, Just Cut the Dang Stuff Down" (2015). 

In this episode we rant about Asclepias prostrata, the rare and elusive prostrate milkweed of South Texas Thornscrub, as well as obscure subfamilies of the Legume Family, Cops & Dildos, and Old Peyotes. What exactly does the New Legume Phylogeny Working Group DO at their annual Pea Dungeon meet-up? Also, "why you gotta do dat"? 

In this episode we explore the Apocynacae family particularly the Asclepiadoidae subfamily and Asclepiadeae tribe and species present in New England. Within this tribe, we look at the invasive plants in the Cynanchum genus which has two invasive species present in the Northeast. In the second half, we also discuss topics related to beginners cannabis cultivation, seed sources, outdoor growing and basic methods of ensuring success in growing and ultimately a quality harvest. This episode was brought to you by the "Build Better Backs" and Led Zeppelin IVSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=65399395)

When it comes to gardening for monarchs, the most common thing you hear is “plant milkweeds.” Milkweeds are important, because they are the only thing that monarch caterpillars can eat. But they aren't the whole story. In fact, having other types of flowering plants available can actually make your gardens more attractive to monarchs according to recent research from the University of Florida. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Rebecca Nestle. Rebecca recently completed her Master's degree at the University of Florida where she explored several different topics related to gardening for monarchs. Part of Rebecca's research looked at how many eggs monarchs laid on focal milkweed plants in gardens composed only of milkweeds compared to gardens with several species that bloomed throughout the growing season. She also dove into another topic that relates to concerns we both often hear about monarch predators. In this part of her study, she compared the number of “natural enemies” (parasitoids and predators of monarchs) in mixed-species gardens compared to milkweed-only gardens. She then compared how well monarch caterpillars survived in each of those situations. Her results for all three of these studies were both surprising and exciting. Another part of Rebecca's research that we discussed related to the effects of high nitrogen levels on swamp milkweeds (Asclepias incarnata). She again, conducted a study that compared monoculture stands of swamp milkweed and swamp milkweeds intermixed with other species. She then looked at the impacts of these treatments on monarch caterpillars. Once again, the results were a little surprising, and potentially a little comforting for people gardening for monarchs in urban environments, near golf courses, or in other heavily fertilized locations. Links Articles about Rebecca's Research Study: For monarch butterflies, plant variety is the spice of life – http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2020/10/15/study-for-monarch-butterflies-plant-variety-is-the-spice-of-life/ Mixed-Species Gardens Increase Monarch Oviposition without Increasing Top-Down Predation – https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/9/648/htm Rebecca's Thesis Investigating the Effects of Plant Diversity and Nutrients on Drivers of Monarch Fitness and Abundance – https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UFE0056937/00001 Backyard Ecology's website - https://backyardecology.net My email: shannon@backyardecology.net Episode image: Monarch butterfly nectaring on a New England aster Photo credit: USFWS Northeast Region, public domain

This week we have two more herbs from our shelf – rooibos & pleurisy root! We're working our way along the shelves and giving every plant a bit of attention, to explore the variety of helpful herbs that exist. It's easy to get stuck in a rut, so we're giving everyone an equal shot.Asclepias tuberosa is known as pleurisy root, and also butterfly weed. It's best-known as an herb for directing moisture and relaxation to the lungs, which can correct dry and tense conditions there. (“Pleurisy” is a drying-out of the pleura or ‘sac' that contains the lungs.) But this herb moves water in the body more systemically than just the lungs! It's helpful for lower-body edema as well.Rooibos, Aspalathus linearis, is a South African herb which has been popularized around the world as an alternative to black or green tea. It's powerfully antioxidant, and has traditional medicinal applications for digestive tension. Recent science has shown it beneficial for high blood pressure, uncontrolled blood sugar, and even as a chemoprotective agent. All that, and it's just plain delicious!Mentioned in this episode:Asclepias tuberosa profile at GoBotany.Holistic Herbalism Podcast, episode 18: Pleurisy in Daughter-CaregiversAspalathus linearis profile at PlantZAfrica.Mahomoodally MF. Traditional medicines in Africa: an appraisal of ten potent african medicinal plants. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:617459. doi: 10.1155/2013/617459. Epub 2013 Dec 3. PMID: 24367388; PMCID: PMC3866779.Joubert E, de Beer D. Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) beyond the farm gate: From herbal tea to potential phytopharmaceutical. South African Journal of Botany. 2011;77(4):869-886. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2011.07.004.Cyclopia genistoides (honeybush) profile at PlantZAfrica.These quick plant profiles were done off-the-cuff & on-the-spot. If you enjoyed them, we have more! Our organized & comprehensive presentation of our herbal allies is in the Holistic Herbalism Materia Medica course. We have detailed profiles of 90 medicinal herbs! Plus you get everything that comes with enrollment in our courses: twice-weekly live Q&A sessions, lifetime access to current & future course material, discussion threads integrated in each lesson, guides & quizzes, and more.If you have a moment, it would help us a lot if you could subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen. This helps others find us more easily. Thank you!!Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.This episode was sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs. We thank them for their support!Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

My guests in this episode are Dr. Carrie Olson-Manning and Sydney Kreutzmann. Dr. Olson-Manning is an Assistant Professor at Augustana University, has a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Genetics from Duke University, and leads the Olson-Manning Lab which focuses on understanding how biochemical pathways evolve.Sydney Kreutzmann is a Research Technician in Dr. Olson-Manning's lab, working on a number of research and outreach efforts.In today's episode, we focus on milkweed, and in particular, the Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, of the eastern United States, and the Showy Milkweed, Asclepias speciosa, of the arid west. Dr. Olson-Manning's lab is studying how these two species hybridize in the transition zone in the Great Plains, where humid eastern climates give way to arid western climates. They discuss some of their initial findings, but as is often the case, each discovery opens up many new questions.But to do milkweeds justice, we also get deep into many broader aspects of milkweed, discussing their diversity, speciation, and ranges. No discussion of milkweed is complete without coverage of milkweed toxicity, and the unique animals that rely on it despite this toxicity. And of course, this means some Monarch butterfly talk. But did you know that there are at least 10 other species that rely on milkweed as part of their lifecycle?And one other amazing fact - milkweed produce dopamine. Yes, the same dopamine that you and I rely on. You'll have to listen to hear how it is put to use.Be sure to check out Dr. Olson-Manning's lab, milkweedflower.org for more details on the common and showy milkweed hybridization research, and their instagram. You can also follow the Olson-Manning lab on iNaturalist, and join their iNaturalist project that tracks observations of the Showy and Common milkweeds and their hybrids.Full Show Notes HereLinks and ReferencesPast Episodes MentionedPollinator Posse and the Western MonarchCharley Eiseman and LeafminersBooks and ResourcesMonarchs and Milkweed by Anurag Agrawal, also available as an audiobook!Monarch Joint Venture - a resource mentioned by Dr. Olson-ManningWhat Milkweed To Plant - PDF showing which species to plan by region of the USAPeople, Organizations, and Other ThingsDr. Steven Matzner - collaborator iNaturalist - anyone can use this wonderful resource to learn about the plants, animals, fungi, and other things living in their area.Mead's Milkweed - a milkweed species that is threatenedTropical Milkweed - is NOT recommended by Xerces Society. We discuss this briefly in the episode.Note: links to books are affiliate links

Aldo Leopold's defined his 5 tools of game management when he wrote Game Management over 80 years ago. But what tools did he miss, or what tools have been developed in the 88 years since the book was published? Join Adam and Jarred as they share their thoughts on the habitat management tools that should be added to the list. What tools would you add to Aldo's list? Also, listen as Jarred tries to convince Adam that his toolbox analogy isn't complete nonsense. Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oteinFuEzFCDmm Hartzler, R. G. (2010). "Reduction in common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) occurrence in Iowa cropland from 1999 to 2009." Crop Protection 29(12): 1542-1544. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219410002152 Rathfon, R. A., S. M. Greenler, and M. A. Jenkins. n.d. Effects of prescribed grazing by goats on non-native invasive shrubs and native plant species in a mixed-hardwood forest. Restoration Ecology n/a:e13361. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/rec.13361   Marzluff, J. M. and K. Ewing (2001). "Restoration of fragmented landscapes for the conservation of birds: A general framework and specific recommendations for urbanizing landscapes." Restoration Ecology 9(3): 280-292. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1526-100x.2001.009003280.x

Aldo Leopold's defined his 5 tools of game management when he wrote Game Management over 80 years ago. But what tools did he miss, or what tools have been developed in the 88 years since the book was published? Join Adam and Jarred as they share their thoughts on the habitat management tools that should be added to the list. What tools would you add to Aldo's list? Also, listen as Jarred tries to convince Adam that his toolbox analogy isn't complete nonsense. Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oteinFuEzFCDmm Hartzler, R. G. (2010). "Reduction in common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) occurrence in Iowa cropland from 1999 to 2009." Crop Protection 29(12): 1542-1544. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219410002152 Rathfon, R. A., S. M. Greenler, and M. A. Jenkins. n.d. Effects of prescribed grazing by goats on non-native invasive shrubs and native plant species in a mixed-hardwood forest. Restoration Ecology n/a:e13361. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/rec.13361   Marzluff, J. M. and K. Ewing (2001). "Restoration of fragmented landscapes for the conservation of birds: A general framework and specific recommendations for urbanizing landscapes." Restoration Ecology 9(3): 280-292. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1526-100x.2001.009003280.x

I suppose what I’m getting at in this episode is that monarch butterflies sure get a lot of publicity because milkweeds are host plants for them (their larvae eat them!) and fuel their long migrations, but please don’t forget that when you plant milkweeds you’re also supplying a whole mess of other insects a place to visit for nectar or pollen or parts to chew on too. Yay! Ascelepias asperula is a beautiful southwest native milkweed. The specific epithet asperula means rough, but I couldn’t figure out what was rough, so out of curiosity I looked at the genus Asperula and the flowers on some woodruffs (Asperula spp.) are in clusters at the top of stems, not unlike this milkweed’s flowers (see photos). Well, it’s total speculation on my part. I sure couldn’t see what was rough, but then I couldn’t visualize antelope horns either! The photos are mine of Asclepias asperula. Look at those carpenter bees! The milkweed discussed in Robert Behrstock’s research article in the Journal of Pollination Ecology is Asclepias angustifolia. Both species can be found wild in the borderlands or at your favorite native plant nursery. Go Native!

I suppose what I’m getting at in this episode is that monarch butterflies sure get a lot of publicity because milkweeds are host plants for them (their larvae eat them!) and fuel their long migrations, but please don’t forget that when you plant milkweeds you’re also supplying a whole mess of other insects a place to visit for nectar or pollen or parts to chew on too. Yay! Ascelepias asperula is a beautiful southwest native milkweed. The specific epithet asperula means rough, but I couldn’t figure out what was rough, so out of curiosity I looked at the genus Asperula and the flowers on some woodruffs (Asperula spp.) are in clusters at the top of stems, not unlike this milkweed’s flowers (see photos). Well, it’s total speculation on my part. I sure couldn’t see what was rough, but then I couldn’t visualize antelope horns either! The photos are mine of Asclepias asperula. Look at those carpenter bees! The milkweed discussed in Robert Behrstock’s research article in the Journal of Pollination Ecology is Asclepias angustifolia. Both species can be found wild in the borderlands or at your favorite native plant nursery. Go Native!

This week's episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast is the conclusion of our conversation with Lynn Faust. Lynn is the author of Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada. In this episode, we continue to just geek out about lightning bugs. Once again, this is a very informal conversation that includes stories and more educational content. If you haven't listened to the previous episode, then I encourage you to go back and listen to Episode 15, which is part 1 of this conversation. We ended the previous episode talking about the larvae of the Pyractomena or Spring Tree Top Flasher fireflies and how they are so special because they pupate on the sides of trees where we can see them. And they do this in the late winter / very early spring, basically the late Feb. or early March timeframe in Kentucky and Tennessee. We jump right back into that conversation with Lynn describing some of Pyractomena's mating behaviors and why they might choose to come out so early. Much of the story of lightning bugs and fireflies revolves around the theme of just paying attention, making observations, sharing what you see, and asking questions. People doing those things have led to the discovery of new species like the synchronized fireflies of the Smokies and the Low Country Ghost. Other people have been able to help better document the range of a given species like the Pink Flashers. Those activities have also led to recognizing previously overlooked behaviors like the fireflies nectaring on milkweeds. There's so much out there to learn and discover if we're willing to open our eyes and pay attention. Lightning bugs, like many other insects, also face some threats. The main threats to lightning bugs are light pollution, pesticides in the soil, soil compaction, and habitat loss. Lynn talks about these threats and realistic ways that we can make our yards more firefly friendly. She takes a very balanced approach that basically boils down to being aware of how your actions might affect lightning bugs or other organisms and then making the best choices for you and your situation. I, for one, appreciate that balance. Lynn also shares some tips for observing lightning bugs. Again, if you missed the first part of this conversation, then I encourage you to go back to episode 15 and listen to it. In that episode, Lynn shared the story of how she went from just watching the lightning bugs to becoming “The Lightning Bug Lady.” We also talked about some of the different species found in the eastern U.S., how to identify firefly species, and the general life history of fireflies. I hope you enjoy both these episodes. Links: Lynn's book and papers Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada * Lowcountry Ghosts 2020 , Phausis sp. firefly Milkweed Fireflies: The Occurrence and Behaviors of 5 Adult North American Fireflies, Lucidota atra, Photinus pyralis, Photinus cookii, Pyropyga minuta and Photuris sp. on milkweed Asclepias syriaca Other scientific papers by Lynn Backyard Ecology's website Lightning bugs and Fireflies – A conversation with Lynn Faust, Part 1 Milkweeds in Urban and Suburban Monarch Waystations with Dr. Adam Baker Land Snails and Their Amazing Diversity Sign up for free Backyard Ecology emails My email: shannon@backyardecology.net Episode image: Firefly on butterfly milkweed Photo credit: baloonimals, cc-0

For many of us in the eastern U.S., warm spring and summer nights are characterized by the methodical flashing of fireflies and lightning bugs. Fireflies and lightning bugs are exactly the same thing. I grew up calling them “lightning bugs,” but somewhere along the line picked up the term “firefly.” Now I use both terms interchangeably. It doesn't matter what you call them, these flashing insects have the ability to bring out the child in all of us. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Lynn Faust. Lynn is the author of Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada. She is also sometimes called “The Lightning Bug Lady,” and with good reason as you'll quickly learn when you listen to this episode. Our conversation is very informal and includes lots of stories mixed in with more educational discussions. This episode is a little different than previous episodes because it is the first in a two-part series. Lynn is so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and has so many great stories that I couldn't fit everything into one episode. So, we'll start our conversation in this episode, and then conclude our conversation in the next episode. Often, we tend to think of lightning bugs as all being the same, but they aren't. In the eastern U.S., we are very rich in lightning bug species and we're still identifying new species. One of the things that I love about lightning bugs is that we can enjoy them on so many different levels. We can sit on our porches or in our lawn chairs and just appreciate their beauty. We can run around in our bare feet and catch them. We can learn the different flash patterns and begin identifying the species that we are seeing. Or anything in between. In this episode, Lynn shares the story of how she went from just watching the lightning bugs to becoming “The Lightning Bug Lady.” We also talk about some of the different species found in the eastern U.S., how to identify firefly species, and the general life history of fireflies. In the next episode, we'll continue our life history discussion. We'll also talk about some exciting recent discoveries, threats to fireflies, ways we can make our yards more lightning bug friendly, and tips for observing fireflies. I hope you enjoy both these episodes. Links: Lynn's book and papers Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada * Lowcountry Ghosts 2020 , Phausis sp. firefly Milkweed Fireflies: The Occurrence and Behaviors of 5 Adult North American Fireflies, Lucidota atra, Photinus pyralis, Photinus cookii, Pyropyga minuta and Photuris sp. on milkweed Asclepias syriaca Other scientific papers by Lynn Backyard Ecology's website Lightning bugs and Fireflies – A conversation with Lynn Faust, Part 2 Milkweeds in Urban and Suburban Monarch Waystations with Dr. Adam Baker Land Snails and Their Amazing Diversity Sign up for free Backyard Ecology emails My email: shannon@backyardecology.net Episode image: Firefly (Photinus pyralis) Photo credit: Katja Schulz, cc-by 2.0

Winter be damned. I'm gonna grow milkweed right thru the frost. Arizona milkweed and Aquatic milkweed are the number one stunners of the season. Tropical's persist, or die, depending on the duration of freezing weather.   Seed starting tips: put is soil and wait, put in soil cover with lid and wait, clip and water germinate, don't clip and water germinate. So there isn't one best way. Try different ways and see how the seeds start best for you. I learned that Aquatic milkweed likes to sit in soil for nearly a month before germinating. Most other milkweed seeds will germinate in one to two weeks.  Inspired by this wonderful Christmas gift from my wife I decided to try growing milkweed in a jar. I rinsed out the honey jar and added soil. Sprinkled a pinch of Milkweed Medley on the surface of the soil and watered the seeds and soil. Placed the cap w/ holes on the jar. Set it on the window sill and in a few weeks these milkweed plants are growing!  Jars are not great for milkweed because over watering and fungal disease is likely to occur without drainage holes. The double-cup is a good way to care for seedlings. In the top cup you poke drainage holes. I poke three holes with the tip of my paring knife. Add soil to the cup with drainage holes. Add milkweed seeds. In this cup I am growing Green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis. Water the seed into the soil. Place the top cup in the bottom cup and place in a sunny window.  Store link: https://www.growmilkweedplants.com/store  Host: Brad Grimm

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I first tasted milkweed a few years ago. I was at Ceraldi in Wellfleet—a restaurant known for its focus on hyper local ingredients— and I tried the plants’ shoots. They were bright and snappy and so gloriously green-tasting that I wanted to learn more. Co-owner and chef Michael Ceraldi explains what Asclepias syriaca, or Common Milkweed is.

:32 Plant Noob: How to make your own plant-able pots for starting seeds in. 5:57 Eat/Drink/Grow: Perennials that don’t spread very much. 16:21 Product Review: Book: Growing Weed in the Garden by Johanna Silver 22:15 Love Letters and Questions Pippa asks about using products that make houseplants have shiny leaves. Link to the YouTube video about making square newspaper pots:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dlGQP81yfo   The list of perennials we covered: Peony (Paeonia) Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Stokes aster (Stokesia laevis) Monkshood (Aconitum) Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) Bugbane (Actaea racemosa) Agastache ‘Blue Fortune' (Agastache foeniculum ‘Blue Fortune’)

Today we celebrate the man who wrote the Flora of North America from across the pond in London much to the chagrin of American botanists. We’ll learn about the Dutch botanist who discovered the phalaenopsis orchid and the coleus on the island of Java. Today’s Unearthed Words review some sayings about the month of February in the garden. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book that helps us grow African violets. I’ll talk about a decorative item for your garden, deck, or porch, and then we’ll wrap things up with National Carrot Cake Day and the history and recipes of this favorite dessert. But first, let’s catch up on a few recent events.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart   Curated Articles Hello Yellow Milkweed/Butterfly Flower, View All Flowers: Botanical Interests @botanicalseeds "Bring sunny color into the pollinator garden with ‘Hello Yellow’ milkweed! Asclepias tuberosa (ah-SKLEE-pee-iss TOO-burr-OH-sah) is usually orange, but this yellow beauty was found in Colorado."   Columbus’Carnivorous Collectibles from The Lantern @TheLanterns “A single organism of Sarracenia purpurea, collected by botanist/bryologist William Sullivant - 1840 - one of the few documented pitcher plants that grew in central Ohio.”   Now, if you’d like to check out these curated articles for yourself, you’re in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There’s no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you’re on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I’d love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1814  The English botanist Aylmer Lambert wrote to his peer, and the President of the Linnean Society, Sir James Edward Smith. Lambert was giving Smith a heads up that Frederick Pursh’s Flora Americana was published. Five years earlier, Frederick had been working for Benjamin Smith Barton in America. Barton was supposed to process the plants from the Lewis & Clark expedition and prepare a catalog for publishing. For some unknown reason, Barton never got around to doing the work. When Meriwether Lewis realized that Barton hadn’t started much of anything, he hired his employee Frederick to do the work. By May of 1808, we know that Frederick had completed all of the tasks that Meriwether Lewis had assigned him. He was eager to get paid the $60 he been promised by Lewis, and the $80 Barton owed him for helping with his herbarium. He was also excited to keep going with the Lewis & Clark project. It seems the mission of sharing the botanical discoveries of the expedition with the public had captured his heart. This is where Frederick’s story gets a little murky. It’s not clear if he was ever fully paid by Lewis or by Barton. It’s not entirely clear why Lewis & Barton couldn’t seem to keep the project moving forward. But records do show, that over the next 18 months, two key things happened that caused Frederick to leave America with the Lewis and Clark specimens in tow: Meriwether Lewis died and Frederick Pursh began to despise his boss, Benjamin Smith Barton. For his part, Barton may have grown tired of Pursh’s drinking. He wrote of Pursh, “Drinking is his greatest failing.” When Frederick Pursh arrived in England at the end of 1811, he reached out to both Sir James Edward Smith and Alymer Lambert about putting together the Flora of North America. Lambert became his botanical fairy godfather; he had a huge personal botanical library, herbarium, and funding. That said, Lambert also provided something Pursh desperately needed: discipline. Pursh was kind of a rough and tough guy with a swarthy complexion and reputed alcohol addiction. Historians say that Lambert made arrangements in the attic of his house, creating a workspace for Frederick. Once he got Frederick up there, Lambert would lock him in for stretches at a time to keep Frederick focused on the project. It was an extreme way to deal with Frederick’s demons, but it worked. Now, Smith and Lambert didn’t do all of this out of the goodness of their heart. They were enormously interested and what Pursh had brought with him from America: portions of the specimens from the Lewis and Clark expedition. Even with Lambert’s resources and lock-ins, it took Frederick two years to complete the Flora of North America. The whole time he was racing to get it published before Thomas Nuttall, who was working on the exact same project back in America. American botanists felt Pursh had pulled the rug out from under them when he took the expedition specimens to England. On December 21st, 1813, Pursh won the race when his 2-volume masterpiece describing all of the plants of North America was presented to the Linnaean Society. In the introduction, Frederick was forthright about his time in America and how he had come to possess the expedition specimens. Giving credit to the work of Lewis and Clark, Frederick created two new genera - Lewisia (loo-WIS-ee-ah) and Clarkia (CLAR-key-ah) for Lewis and Clark. In all, Frederick had received 132 plants from Meriwether Lewis, 70% were brand-new species that were named by Frederick. Today roughly 30% of the Pursh-named plants named in his Flora Americana are still recognized as valid. Lewisia is a little evergreen Alpine plant with a beautiful bloom. They like well-drained soil and are native to the northwest. Lewisia is a perfect pick for a rock garden. Clarkia is a little wildflower primrose that can be grown from seed after the last spring frost. Clarkia prefers to be direct-sowed, and they are perfect for use in mixed borders and Rock Gardens. Today Clarkia hybrids are grown for cut flowers. Link to 1814 Flora Americae Septentrionalis Volume One Link to 1814 Flora Americae Septentrionalis Volume Two   1862  Today is the Anniversary of the death of the German-Dutch botanist with the perfect last name - Carl Ludwig Blume. Born in Germany and orphaned by the age of five, Blume proved to be a bright little boy and a successful student. He studied at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands - a place that would become his Northstar. When he died in Leiden, on this day in 1862, he had become a naturalized Dutch citizen. Scholastically, Blume went the path of most botanists. He first became a physician and he ran an apothecary. In short order, he started botanizing in the Dutch East Indies, specifically on the island of Java, where he was the director of the Botanic Garden. Blume wrote a spectacular book on the collection of orchids that were available on the island. The title page is stunning and it features three native women from Java performing a ceremonial dance. The mountains of Java in the village are in the background, and a garland of orchids frames the stunning portrait. This publication is considered one of the finest works of scientific literature during the early 1800s. In 1825, Blume established the Dendrobium genus of orchids. The genus name is derived from the Greek; "dendron" for tree and "bios" meaning life. The name refers to the epiphytic habit of orchids to grow in trees. Thus, the combination of those two words, dendron and bios, meaning tree-life. And, here's a great story about Blume. During his time in Java, Blume saw what he thought was a group of moths flying in a motionless fashion by a tree. It was an odd vision. But, when he got closer, Blume realized what he thought were moths, were actually orchid flowers. Blume named the species Phalaenopsis amabilis (fayl-eh-NOP-sis ah-MA-bo-lis). In nature, the stems of the phalaenopsis orchid are not clipped to a bamboo pole like they are in when we buy them in the supermarket. Instead, they arch away from the tree they are attached to and sway easily with the Wind. It was the motion of the Orchid flowers swaying in the wind together, that lead Blume to believe he saw an insect and not a blossom. The etymology of the word phalaenopsis comes from the Latin word "phal", which means moth - which is why this Orchid is commonly referred to as the Moth Orchid. Phalaenopsis orchids are native to Southeast Asia. Their popularity has steadily grown because they are so easy to grow and because they bloom indoors all year round. This makes them one of the most popular house plants in the world. Now, should you be tempted this summer to move your phalaenopsis orchid outside; think twice. Just because they are a tropical plant, doesn’t mean they want full sun. Phalaenopsis orchids grow in the shade of trees under the tree canopy. They like indirect light, and if you put them in full sun, they will get sunburned. If you are going to move them outside, make sure to put them in a place where they will not get direct sunlight. Sometimes I’ll put mine onto my north-facing covered porch. In 1853, Carl Ludwig Blume discovered another popular plant in the mountains of Java: coleus. Coleus bluemei was named in his honor until it was changed in 2006 to Coleux x Hybridus in recognition of all the new hybrid variations. As of 2012, the botanical name for coleus is Plectranthus scutellarioides (Plek-TRAN-thus SKOO-til-air-ee-OY-deez). And, coleus are in the mint or Lamiaceae family. They have that signature square stem and opposite leaves - along with other popular members of the mint family: basil, peppermint, oregano, Salvia, Swedish ivy, and thyme. An early nickname for coleus was painted nettle or flame nettle. Coleus is easy to propagate from cuttings. You can simply pop them in a glass of water, and in a few days, roots will start to form. To encourage your coleus to grow in a more compact fashion, keep pruning them before they bloom. You might remember that the National Garden Bureau made 2015 the year of the coleus.   Unearthed Words Here are some sayings about our new month - February: February brings the rain, Thaws the frozen lake again. ― Sarah Coleridge, English author, and translator   Why, what’s the matter, That you have such a February face, So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness? — William Shakespeare, English author, poet & playwright, Much Ado About Nothing   The most serious charge which can be brought against New England is not Puritanism but February. — Joseph Wood Krutch, American writer, and naturalist   February is the border between winter and spring. ― Terri Guillemets (gee-ya-MAY), quotation anthologist, Years   February is a suitable month for dying. Everything around is dead, the trees black and frozen so that the appearance of green shoots two months hence seems preposterous, the ground hard and cold, the snow dirty, the winter hateful, hanging on too long. ― Anna Quindlen, American author, and journalist, One True Thing   Grow That Garden Library YOU CAN Grow African Violets by Joyce Stark The subtitle of this book is: The Official Guide Authorized by the African Violet Society of America, Inc. Kent and Joyce Stork have grown violets for over 30 years. From 1991 to 2004, they wrote a column in the African Violet Magazine, which became the foundation for this book. Kent and Joyce are married and live in Fremont, Nebraska, where they own a business specializing in African violets. Kent and Joyce Stork killed their first violet too! They soon mastered the skills for growing the plant and eventually wrote for the African Violet Magazine, the official publication of the African Violet Society of America, Inc. for over ten years. Their column For Beginners explained the basic elements of growing violets in an entertaining and straightforward way that anyone could understand. Now, these columns have been adapted and edited to provide even the most novice grower with a step-by-step guide, whether the goal is simply to keep violets alive or to exhibit the plants in competitive shows. You can get a used copy of YOU CAN Grow African Violets by Joyce Stark and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today’s Show Notes for under $5.   Great Gifts for Gardeners WiHoo 8” Indoor Outdoor Thermometer/Hygrometer for Patio, Wall or Decorative (Bronze) $19.99  Easy to read - The outdoor thermometer decorative easily keep track of the temperature from a distance with bold black dial graphics. Celsius and Fahrenheit - This garden hygrometer digital simultaneous Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature display. Real glass lens - This room indoor thermometer real glass lens, accurate between -40 and 120℉/-40, and 50 °C to accommodate all climates. Amazon’s Choice & Amazon Prime   Today’s Botanic Spark Today is National Carrot Cake Day. Every February 3rd, National carrot cake day is observed. And, you might say it’s a great excuse to have our cake and our carrots, too.  Akin to banana bread, carrot cake is similar in preparation and texture. It's made, like many quick breads, by separately preparing the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients and then mixing those together. And, carrot cakes generally include ingredients like cinnamon or nutmeg, raisins, or nuts. Carrots are, of course, a root vegetable. They are made up of 88% water, 7% sugar, and a percent each of protein, fiber, and ash. The Greeks and Romans ate carrots, but their carrots were different colors like purple or white. It wasn’t until the 17th century that carrots started appearing predominantly as orange. Why? Because the Dutch initially bred the carrot to be orange in order to honor the Dutch royal family - also known as the “House of Orange” in the Netherlands. The orange carrot became so popular that the color became synonymous with the carrot. As for carrot cake, the earliest mentions of it in the newspaper appear in the early 1900s - around 1910. These early carrot cakes were more like little crab cakes - only they were made with carrots, flour, and butter, sweet milk, and so on. By 1912, the San Francisco newspaper, The Call, featured a carrot cake recipe and it advised that only very young, tender carrots be used - along with 2 cups of sugar, a cup of butter, 2 cups of flour, a cup of carrots that were boiled and mashed very finely, a cup of grated chocolate, a cup of chopped walnuts, 1/2 a cup of sweet milk, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. By the end of November, in 1913, a newspapers were running an article called “Carrots and Cakes.” It said: “The little carrot, of the plebian vegetable family, moved high last week in the social scale and was in such demand on the grocery orders of so many families that stores ran out entirely, says the Minneapolis Journal. Miss Lilla Frich, supervisor of domestic economy in the public schools, has been telling how carrots may be used for what they are or as substitutes for other things, notably, that carrot pulp makes a good egg substitute in making cakes and hundreds of women who formerly have scorned common truck farm products have been buying them.” In the early 1980s, when Pillsbury launched its “Carrot and Spice Cake Mix,” they held a contest to discover the earliest published carrot cake recipe, and they were also looking for the best Heritage recipe. Joyce Allen of Wichita Kansas won $100 for sharing her recipe from the 1929 Wichita Women’s Club cookbook, and Ethel Amsler of Waco Texas also won $100 for creating a new recipe with Pillsbury’s new carrot cake mix. She was riffing off an old family recipe. That old family recipe had been handed down through four generations. She said they didn’t have it but twice a year. Ethel’s old family recipe for carrot cake calls for white raisins soaked in brandy in addition to adding a cup of black walnuts. If you’d like to get a copy of Ethel Amsler’s Heritage Carrot Cake recipe, along with her modern version, I’ve added them to today’s Show Notes, which are available on the website for the show over at thedailygardener.org.   ETHEL AMSLER’S HERITAGE CARROT CAKE 1 cup brandy  1 cup of water  1 ½ cups sugar  2 tablespoons butter  1 cups grated carrots  1 teaspoon nutmeg  1 teaspoon cloves  1 cup chopped black walnuts 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour  2 teaspoons baking powder  1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon soda  1 teaspoon salt At least two days before serving, in a medium saucepan, soak raisins in brandy overnight at room temperature. The next day, add water, sugar, butter, carrots, and spices. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; pour into a large mixing bowl. Cover; let stand at room temperature 12 hours or overnight. The next day, heat oven to 275 degrees. Grease and flour 10-inch angel food tube pan or 12-cup fluted tube pan. Add walnuts, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt to carrot mixture; mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 ¾ hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. ETHEL AMSLER’S HERITAGE CARROT CAKE (Modern Version)  1 package Pillsbury Plus Carrot N Spice Cake Mix  ¾ cup of water  ½ cup dairy sour cream  ⅓ cup oil  2 teaspoons brandy extract  3 eggs  1 cup golden raisins  1 cup finely chopped walnuts  Powdered sugar Heat oven to 390 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan. In a large bowl, blend cake mix, water, sour cream, oil, brandy extract, and eggs until moistened; beat 2 minutes at highest speed. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Pour into a pre-prepared pan. Back at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan 25 minutes; Invert onto a serving plate. Cool completely. Sift or sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. 16 servings.   Finally, during the 1970s, the Los Angeles Times featured a popular recipe for their 14 Carat Cake. That recipe incorporates crushed pineapple and walnuts. I’ve included it in today's Show Notes, as well. 14 CARAT CAKE  2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder  1 ½ tsp. soda  1 tsp. salt  2 tsp. cinnamon  2 cups of sugar  1 ½ cups oil  4 eggs  2 cups grated raw carrot  1 (8 12-oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained  12 cup chopped nuts  Add Cream Cheese Frosting (see below) Sift together flour, baking powder, powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add sugar, oil, and eggs and mix well. Stir in carrots, drained pineapple, and nuts. Turn into three greased and floured 9-inch layer-cake pans or a 13x9-inch pan and bake at 350 deg. 35 to 40 minutes until the top springs back when touched lightly with a finger. Cool a few minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool. (Or loaf cake, may be frosted in the pan, especially handy if the cake is for a potluck or picnic.) For layers, spread tops and sides with frosting and stack. Cream Cheese Frosting  ½ cup butter or margarine  1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened  1 tsp. vanilla  1 lb. Confectioners’ sugar, sifted Combine’ butter, cream cheese, and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add sugar gradually, beating vigorously, if too thick, add a small amount of milk to thin to spreading consistency.

MILKWEED HIT LIST ✔️ Asclepias asperula https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62298 ✔️ Asclepias nyctaginifolia https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62294 ✔️ Asclepias tuberosa https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47912 ✔️ Asclepias linaria https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62295 ✔️ Asclepias hypoleuca https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/158742 ✔️ Asclepias nummularia https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/158751

Nestor R and Brad G wander the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in search of the rare Welsh's milkweed. Plant page: growmilkweedplants.com/welshii Observation: inaturalist.org/observations/30008278 Google's top six results for Asclepias welshii Wikipedia Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center USDA Plant Guide (.PDF) USDA Plants Profile U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service A. welshii (.PDF) Grow Milkweed Plants - Asclepias welshii Host Brad Grimm Unspoken guest: Nestor Robles

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of milkweeds. The genus Asclepias has been made famous due to the plight of the monarch butterfly, whose larvae feed on nothing else. Though we tend to focus our attention on only a handful of milkweeds, these plants are incredibly diverse and have a lot to teach us about ecology, evolution, and biogeography. Joining us to talk about this incredible group is the Milkweed Guy himself, Dr. Mark Fishbein. Dr. Fishbein and his colleagues are working hard on piecing together the history of Asclepias in North America. If you thought milkweeds were incredible plants before, this conversation will certainly amplify your appreciation for these incredible plants. This episode was produced in part by Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Lisa, Liba, Lucas, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Rachelle, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Anthony, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Brian, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Dee and Carol discuss two native flowers, Spigelia marilandica and Asclepias sp., cucumbers in the vegetable garden, and Dee's new pelargonium theater.For more info:Spigelia marilandica 'Little Redhead'Milkweed from High Country GardensMilkweed info from American MeadowsDee's Cucumbers and Onions recipeGeraniaceae.com, a source for pelargoniumsGroovy Plants Ranch, Marengo, OhioThe Gardenangelists is now available on Stitcher!Email us anytime at TheGardenangelists@gmail.com

What you will hear in this episode. Asclepias cryptoceras grows in a remote location on a shale slope in the Great Basin east of Reno NV. Three experts and me have an unplanned meeting in the mountains and talk milkweed over a rare milkweed. Cocoa Beach Florida has sun and fun but I take a time-out under an umbrella to talk about the diverse number of locally native milkweeds in central Florida.  Guests: Anurag Agrawal, Elizabeth Pringle, Aramee Diethelm Host: Brad Grimm

Monarch Population Status The Xerces Society Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count 1997-2018 The Western Monarch Thanksgiving & New Year’s Counts Second New Year’s Count Supports Monarchs Movement Between Sites This master gardener is luring monarchs to Las Vegas   Host: Brad Grimm Guests: Anne Marie Lardeau, Glenda Bona, Nestor Robles, David Dewenter   ROYALTY FREE MUSIC by BENSOUND

Ellen and C.L. discuss why you might not want to do a “fall cleanup” of your perennials. Next, we discuss S-E-X among the photosynthesizing crowd. Male and female plants, what that means for your landscape, and what happens if you don’t have both sexes. We review Asclepias speciosa ‘Davis’ and bring you up to date about #LeafStackChallenge posts on Twitter and Instagram. :33 Did You Know: Leaving perennials so the birds can eat the seeds. 5:35 Eat/Drink/Grow: Plant Sex! Male and female plants. 14:58 Product/Plant Review: Asclepias speciosa ‘Davis’ 19:25 Love Letters and Questions: A #LeafStackChallenge update

Zinnia grandiflora Asclepias asperula Stretpanthus culteri Stenandrium and Physaria All photos above courtesy of Michael Eason. Photo cover from Timber Press. In the spring I previewed and then bought the newly published Wildflowers of Texas field guide which has turned out to be the book I’ve always wanted but had been missing from my field […] The post Ep. 4-3: Wildflowers of Texas | Michael Eason appeared first on The Garden Path Podcast.

  Fall monarch migration is beginning now. Monarch's keep warm in Mexico and California. If they were people we would call them snow-birds. Are you ready for winter? Check out these parkas insulated with the fibers of milkweed plants. Asclepias clothing is light, hypoallergenic and renewable. Plus it will keep you warm thru the winter!  Mason bees and summer leaf cutter bees do 10x the pollination work that a honeybee does plus they don't have a hive to protect so they don't sting. This summer, with the help of an instructables guide, I built a solitary bee house. Then to my surprise seven nesting tubes got used to build a bigger pollinator workforce. Over the winter I will make more and offer them for sale in the spring for you to place in your garden. Sadly, we mourn the passing of Mr. Lincoln Brower. Mr. Brower advanced the study of monarchs and milkweed and expanded our knowledge with over sixty years of research and education. His contributions will not be forgotten.  All this and more! Visit the complete show notes page at http://www.growmilkweedplants.com/37 Host: Brad Grimm Location​: Grow Milkweed Plants HQ Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com  

Water germination of milkweed seeds was introduced to me by Francisco Julich. I recommend following Francisco on Instagram at jardimdeborboletas he is based in Brazil. My understanding of water germination of milkweed seeds was expanded by Dr. Steven Broyles who is a professional on the subject of milkweed. I credit Francisco and Steven with being first to share the water germination method in my blog post Water Germination of Milkweed Seeds. Looking for a simple guide to help you grow milkweed plants from seed? A milkweed seed germination guide is available for download. Cold Moist Stratification is recommended if it is October through March. Water Germination is recommended from April through September.    Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com  

San Juan milkweed   Paco's Reserva de Flora y Fauna The monarch butterfly isn't the only butterfly that uses Asclepias plants as their host. Queen butterflies and Soldier butterflies are a common sight in tropical regions like Mexico and central America. The summer is the slow season for milkweed butterflies in Mexico. Due the the heat and it's drying effect on the milkweed in the area I did not see any milkweed butterflies during my visit. December and January are the rainy season in Mazatlan Mexico. During the wet time of year in the winter months the milkweed that was dry and dormant thru the summer comes back to life and grows with vigor.  SaveSave SaveSave

Including the typical segments you’ll hear in every episode of the Plantrama podcast :15 Introduction by Janet Endsley, NWFGS Program Director 2:14 Ellen and C.L. introduce each other. (One of us is a cat person, and another a dog person…) 4:04 What’s For Dinner? The Merry Woodsman Cocktail In a cocktail shaker full of ice, combine two ounces of spruce tip infused vodka with 3/4 ounces of elderflower liqueur, and 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger syrup. Shake for 30 seconds, then strain and pour into a martini glass. Add 1 1/2 ounces of seltzer and garnish with a spruce tip. Nasturtium Leaf Hors d'oeuvres Pick some of the largest leaves and add the filling of your choice. Suggestions include cream cheese mixed with herbs, goat cheese with olives, hummus, or finely chopped egg salad. Add a nasturtium flower and either fold or roll the leaves, place on a plate garnished with more nasturtium flowers and serve. 7:02 Eat/Drink Grow: Ellen and C.L.’s Essential Plant Picks for 2018 Saffron Sentinel Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) large shrub/small tree (Zone 4)   For sun to part-shade; yellow flowers; tart, red fruit; red fall foliage; to 20’ tall  Bobo Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Ilvobo’) dwarf hydrangea shrub (Zones 3-8)  For full sun to part shade; long lasting white flowers that age to pink. Bone hardy and good in containers too. Monarda ‘Bee-Happy’ perennial (Zone 4) Sun - part-shade; mildew resistant; red flowers; to 18” tall; edible. Variegated Spreading Salmon Sunpatiens annual grows to 18-24” tall and wide. Sun/Pt Shade. Davis Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa ‘Davis’) perennial (Zone 4)  For sun to part-shade; wildlife resistant; drought tolerant; multiple edible parts Pepper Mad Hatter F1 – unique, early & delicious. Not spicy. Stake to support pepper-laden branches. Sun Malabar spinach, Basella alba annual vine/vegetable. This is a pretty plant for garden or container.  Full sun; attractive, fast-growing vine; heat tolerant edible green King Tut Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) annual except in zones 10 and 11. Dramatic! Tall! Graceful! And totally deserving of three exclamation points! Sun, gardens or containers, average moisture. 19:08 Insider Information: Tools For Success Ellen and C.L. use all of these tools Smart Pot Grow bags in many sizes and shapes. Portable, long lasting! www.SmartPots.com  C.L. grows potatoes and so much more in these, plus lines large containers such as metal troughs. There are even Smart Pots that create instant raised beds, round or rectangular. Unfold, fill & plant! Cobra Head Weeder Versatile weeder and planting tool. www.CobraHead.com Wireless Deer Fence Different and effective way to control Bambi. www.WirelessDeerFence.com Gardener’s Supply Cart Easier than a wheelbarrow, endlessly useful. www.Gardeners.com  26:40 For The Plant Noob (aka beginner, newbie, Plant Geek 101) Ellen and C.L. have walked through the Northwest Flower and Garden Show looking for the “news you can use.” Here are some of the garden design tips that they found in the displays this year.  Larger groups of plants look better than singles, unless the single plant is large. Sometimes more is more. Groupings and swaths make a better visual display. Want Wow? Plant more.  Odd numbers are visually appealing. The human brain likes to see odd numbers, so planting in groups of one, three, five, seven or more usually looks better. If you have two plants, put them very far apart or use them to frame something such as a path, set of stairs, or birdbath.  Contrast is important. A well-designed garden contains plants with contrasting foliage colors and/or textures and different sizes and shapes. Contrast the textures of foliage with solid structures or stone. Consider using contrasting colors or shapes/sizes of flowers.  We love landscapes that visually say “leisure” or “tribe gathering.” The reason furniture, firepits and fireplaces are appealing in a garden is that they remind us of relaxation. But don’t just add these to your landscape…use them! Sit with a cup of tea or a cocktail and watch the natural world. Invite friends over, put aside digital devices, and reconnect with nature and each other.  33:10 Audience Questions    

This week, in honor of International Women's Day, Katja shares some of her thoughts and experiences with adult daughters who became caregivers for their elderly parents. There's a particular pattern of compromised lung health she's seen emerge in these women, which has been tightly tied to the complex stresses and emotional challenges of the role. Fortunately, she's found an herbal ally - pleurisy root, Asclepias tuberosa - who's been especially helpful to them - and may help you or someone you love, as well! Mentioned in this podcast: Health Care? Daughters Know All About It, Roni Caryn Rabin (NYT, May 2017) - "As Washington debates the relative merits of health care legislation, many families have already come up with what is arguably the most reliable form of care in America: It's called daughter care.Dementia Care, Women's Health, and Gender Equity, Bott et al (JAMA Neurology, July 2017) - "The best long-term care insurance in our country is a conscientious daughter."The Crisis Facing America's Working Daughters, Liz O'Donnell (The Atlantic, February 2016)Daughterhood - An excellent resource for women who are managing care for their parents.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

Jewel milkweed. Join me as we go explore the plant in-person. Host: Brad Grimm

1M Monarchs vs. a Mine, MexiRocks, Garden Vandalism & Jewel Milkweed - Episode 016 View complete show notes page: http://www.growmilkweedplants.com/016 Learn about the threat that could deplete the water supply for the Oyamel Fir trees resulting in massive habitat destruction of the habitat that the monarchs overwinter on in Mexico. Learn how to order MexiRocks which directly support the citizens. MexiRocks is an alternative form of "butterfly tourism" that brings the monarch to your home or garden. Read the entire story as published in the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Plants crushed, but not Conway School’s spirit. Community helps revive garden after vandalism" Get up close to a wonderful, but rare, milkweed plant Asclepias cryptoceras that I discuss in great detail. Host: Brad G.

The genus Asclepias is in the Milkweed family Aclepiadaceae and there are about 30 species of Asclepias found in Arizona…

A native plant in central and eastern North America, Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) blooms during the summer.  Typically, it can be found along roadsides and fields. The spring shoots arise from underground root buds or from newly germinating seeds. A … Continue reading →

Asclepias is native to the Southeast region of the United States. It is an herbaceous perennial that attracts butterflies, bees and other insects. It grows 18-24 inches tall and has a mounded habit.