Friends of Brower Park, Inc.
July 20, 2015–Monarch Butterfly Siting
On July 20, 2015 we had our first Monarch Butterfly siting. The Monarch has come to the garden habitat to consume plant nectar in our Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) blossoms. These milkweed plants were purchased in the spring of 2014 on ebay. From these first plants we harvested seeds from their green-brown seed pods. In the early spring of 2015 we planted the seeds indoors in micro-terrariums made from plastic egg cartons. Milkweed seeds like a damp environment to sprout. These young plants were transplanted to the outdoors at the end of April after the last frost day.
We also planted Common milkweed seeds (Asclepias syriaca) in June 2014. They did grow this year but have not put out their pale purple blossoms. Mixed in with the Swamp Milkweed purchase were a few Butterflyweed plants (Asclepias tuberosa). Their blossoms range from red-orange to yellow in color.
