#or a site trying to promote native milkweeds

[anipgarden]

Hey fellow milkweed nerds of Tumblr I have a question.

So. Swamp milkweed. It's pink! That's pretty cool. I wanna know how pink.

Because whenever I google Swamp Milkweed, whether its to look for seeds or plants for sale or just to show other people, the flowers look like this.

[ID: Three pictures of swamp milkweed, all a very very bright vivid hot pink with white middles.]

Thats Fucking Hot Pink. This bright ass pink is what drew me to the plant in the first place. If I were to find my Dream Swamp Milkweed, it would be this pink.

However, a lot of the times, I end up finding swamp milkweed that looks more like this.

[ID: Two pictures of swamp milkweed, both from the same plant. The flowers are a light, nearly white, light pink.]

Its a much lighter, more of a strawberry-milk pink. These are pictures I took from my own swamp milkweed plant, but from the pictures I've seen in my gardening server, a lot of them have plants in a color similar to this.

So what I'm curious about is. If you grow swamp milkweed, or have seen it growing in the wild, have you ever seen it as pink in the first example? Or is it just Photoshop magic? And if you do have it that pink... do you have any seeds you'd be willing to share?

[wendyimmiller]

Ed Lyon on How to Write about Native Plants

I’m back with another report about a terrific talk I heard during the garden communicator conference in Salt Lake City. This time, it’s a talk by Ed Lyon, director of Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University, about how garden writers should be writing about native plants. (And thanks to Ed for amplifying on my notes.)

While praising garden communicators jumping on the “noble bandwagon” of promoting the use of native plants, he argues that the missing piece is educating the public about the challenges this might entail. He urged us to “Educate!��� and to expand the topic beyond from the usual messaging.

How to Attract People to Gardening

Ed believes the way to attract people to gardening is NOT by telling them that annuals in massed displays such as at Longwood and Butchart Gardens are environmentally irresponsible. Annuals are often the very plants that first entice non-gardeners to try gardening. Telling them to avoid annuals and plant only natives can lead to disappointment if the results aren’t colorful and visually appealing enough.

Here’s a number that surprised me: that 60 percent of all plants sold currently are annuals – they get people started. Succulents and houseplants also bring people to plants, getting them connected to plants again. “No single type of gardening can bring in enough people.”

So Ed’s message is that we shouldn’t make people feel guilty, and scare tactics never work. We should embrace people wherever they are along the gardening path. Once they’re “in the fold” we can educate them to more sustainable practices, but we can’t do that if they haven’t started gardening yet.

He also mentioned his worry that many of the upcoming young horticulturists have jumped on the “natives only” bandwagon or are promoting some other single style of gardening. But “there are millions of people not currently gardening. If our goal is to get as many as possible involved, we’ll never accomplish it if we limit gardening to one style.”

As writers are covering hot trends like prairie gardens, native gardens and rain gardens, Ed urged us not to forget the “garden” part. Despite the implied impression that the resulting prairies, meadows, and native gardens will be self-sustaining, they won’t be. They still need management and maintenance, and when inexperienced homeowners aren’t told that, they often end up with weed-infested messes. In their frustration, novices may revert their home landscape to what they know to be easiest – turfgrass.

An enlightening moment for me was learning why prairies are relatively weed-free in natural states but plenty weedy where they’re created. It’s because true prairies cover hundreds to thousands of acres and airborne seeds don’t travel that far into that large space. The weedy areas are along the edges of the prairies. So naturally, a small home “prairie” is more like a true prairie’s edge, not its interior.

How Natives Behave in Gardens

Ed explained that in practice, native plants plants don’t always work as intended, or where intended. Lurie Gardens in Millennium Park and the High Line in New York City are examples of noble efforts at using 100% native plants. But the cultural conditions of both sites weren’t conducive to some of the native species, so non-natives that are more durable in these conditions and complement the naturalistic planting effect were added.

There’s the illusion that plants considered “native” will always be the more durable option, but Ed reminds us that’s simply not true. It might be if the conditions where they’re being planted are exactly as they were when they evolved and adapted to the region, but you simply can’t find indigenous sites that haven’t been highly modified many times over the last several hundred years.

On the other hand, a native like milkweed spreads and can be a thug in garden settings, and people need to know that – not only because it may take over areas of the garden and be difficult to control but because it can easily spread by seed to neighbors.

About the Monarchs

People generally plant milkweed in their gardens to provide for Monarch butterflies, but Ed believes the focus should instead be on agriculture, where large quantities can be grown, not “tiny dots in back yards.” So we should encourage farmers to plant the edges of their fields with milkweed because what the Monarchs really need is re-establishment of the large masses of milkweed that have disappeared.

Another problem with all the focus on Monarchs, just one species of butterfly, is that other species that need the same protection and attention are ignored. Ed told the roomful of garden writers, “If you want to increase your opportunity to sell a story, start writing about the other butterflies, insects and fauna that need attention. This will expand your opportunities for stories and help the overall native effort.”

Changing Times

Human influence has brought about major changes in our environment, including the spread of invasives and disease that make it impossible to use such natives as ash, American chestnut, and American elm. No matter how noble the effort to use natives; there are those we simply should no longer plant.

Ed’s point is that urban forests need to be diverse, and not just include a few native species, as is the trend. For maximizing diversity and limiting the spread of insects and disease, the goal is to use no more than 5 percent of any one genus in an urban forest, which translates to at least 20 different genera in the city’s tree population.

For example, in the Midwest ash has been used as a major street tree (20% of most cities’ tree populations) but then wiped out by an invasive insect. Oaks and maples, two other giants of urban plantings, are the next two genera expected to see severe losses due to new diseases. So leading experts in woody plants are telling cities they have to include nonnatives in urban forests because there simply aren’t enough native trees that will survive there.

Competing Approaches

Turning to the literature on this topic, Ed applauds Doug Tallamy’s “revolutionary” Bringing Nature Home, but suggests we also read Where do Camels Belong by Ken Thompson. It makes the point that flora and fauna have moved around the planet throughout history and we’re spending billions of dollars to battle invasive species when plant movement is a natural occurrence.

Ed warned us not to get caught up in views at either end of the spectrum, views asserted as “the only way.” His point is that humankind has so dramatically changed the global environment that our solutions for the future are likely to be found somewhere in between these two views.

Right Plant, Right Place

Ed suggests that with climate change, we should focus not on “natives” but on “regionally appropriate” plants. This term includes the possibility that if a native species is no longer able to thrive due to new, permanent adverse conditions, maybe there are similar plants from other regions that would provide the same benefits.

And instead of dissing some plants as “ornamentals, how about simply asking “What plants will do best in this landscape?” Ed suggests we learn from some “wonderful sustainability focused gardens that include nonnatives.” Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison is one example of a garden that uses a wide array of styles, from sustainable meadows to a new type of low-maintenance gravel garden to combinations of durable native and non-native plants.

Writers Teaching Gardening When writing and speaking to novice (and probably advanced) gardeners, Ed encouraged us to stop showing lists of plants we think people “should be responsibly planting.” Instead, we should tell them to start by analyzing their particular site for environmental, geographical and, most importantly, cultural conditions.

And we should not encourage them to use only plants that were indigenous to that area 200 years ago. To illustrate his point, he showed us a part of Wisconsin he’d gardened in where the soils had been heavily modified over 100 years of agricultural tillage and chemicals, then further modified during construction of the homes. “Never base a plant palette on what was native 200 years ago; base it on what the conditions are currently.”

“Hear, hear!” to everything Ed said.

For more information about Ed’s writing, speaking and consulting, go to Spellbound Garden. 

Ed Lyon on How to Write about Native Plants originally appeared on GardenRant on October 29, 2019.

from Gardening https://www.gardenrant.com/2019/10/ed-lyon-on-how-to-write-about-native-plants.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

[turfandlawncare]

Ed Lyon on How to Write about Native Plants

I’m back with another report about a terrific talk I heard during the garden communicator conference in Salt Lake City. This time, it’s a talk by Ed Lyon, director of Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University, about how garden writers should be writing about native plants. (And thanks to Ed for amplifying on my notes.)

While praising garden communicators jumping on the “noble bandwagon” of promoting the use of native plants, he argues that the missing piece is educating the public about the challenges this might entail. He urged us to “Educate!” and to expand the topic beyond from the usual messaging.

How to Attract People to Gardening

Ed believes the way to attract people to gardening is NOT by telling them that annuals in massed displays such as at Longwood and Butchart Gardens are environmentally irresponsible. Annuals are often the very plants that first entice non-gardeners to try gardening. Telling them to avoid annuals and plant only natives can lead to disappointment if the results aren’t colorful and visually appealing enough.

Here’s a number that surprised me: that 60 percent of all plants sold currently are annuals – they get people started. Succulents and houseplants also bring people to plants, getting them connected to plants again. “No single type of gardening can bring in enough people.”

So Ed’s message is that we shouldn’t make people feel guilty, and scare tactics never work. We should embrace people wherever they are along the gardening path. Once they’re “in the fold” we can educate them to more sustainable practices, but we can’t do that if they haven’t started gardening yet.

He also mentioned his worry that many of the upcoming young horticulturists have jumped on the “natives only” bandwagon or are promoting some other single style of gardening. But “there are millions of people not currently gardening. If our goal is to get as many as possible involved, we’ll never accomplish it if we limit gardening to one style.”

As writers are covering hot trends like prairie gardens, native gardens and rain gardens, Ed urged us not to forget the “garden” part. Despite the implied impression that the resulting prairies, meadows, and native gardens will be self-sustaining, they won’t be. They still need management and maintenance, and when inexperienced homeowners aren’t told that, they often end up with weed-infested messes. In their frustration, novices may revert their home landscape to what they know to be easiest – turfgrass.

An enlightening moment for me was learning why prairies are relatively weed-free in natural states but plenty weedy where they’re created. It’s because true prairies cover hundreds to thousands of acres and airborne seeds don’t travel that far into that large space. The weedy areas are along the edges of the prairies. So naturally, a small home “prairie” is more like a true prairie’s edge, not its interior.

How Natives Behave in Gardens

Ed explained that in practice, native plants plants don’t always work as intended, or where intended. Lurie Gardens in Millennium Park and the High Line in New York City are examples of noble efforts at using 100% native plants. But the cultural conditions of both sites weren’t conducive to some of the native species, so non-natives that are more durable in these conditions and complement the naturalistic planting effect were added.

There’s the illusion that plants considered “native” will always be the more durable option, but Ed reminds us that’s simply not true. It might be if the conditions where they’re being planted are exactly as they were when they evolved and adapted to the region, but you simply can’t find indigenous sites that haven’t been highly modified many times over the last several hundred years.

On the other hand, a native like milkweed spreads and can be a thug in garden settings, and people need to know that – not only because it may take over areas of the garden and be difficult to control but because it can easily spread by seed to neighbors.

About the Monarchs

People generally plant milkweed in their gardens to provide for Monarch butterflies, but Ed believes the focus should instead be on agriculture, where large quantities can be grown, not “tiny dots in back yards.” So we should encourage farmers to plant the edges of their fields with milkweed because what the Monarchs really need is re-establishment of the large masses of milkweed that have disappeared.

Another problem with all the focus on Monarchs, just one species of butterfly, is that other species that need the same protection and attention are ignored. Ed told the roomful of garden writers, “If you want to increase your opportunity to sell a story, start writing about the other butterflies, insects and fauna that need attention. This will expand your opportunities for stories and help the overall native effort.”

Changing Times

Human influence has brought about major changes in our environment, including the spread of invasives and disease that make it impossible to use such natives as ash, American chestnut, and American elm. No matter how noble the effort to use natives; there are those we simply should no longer plant.

Ed’s point is that urban forests need to be diverse, and not just include a few native species, as is the trend. For maximizing diversity and limiting the spread of insects and disease, the goal is to use no more than 5 percent of any one genus in an urban forest, which translates to at least 20 different genera in the city’s tree population.

For example, in the Midwest ash has been used as a major street tree (20% of most cities’ tree populations) but then wiped out by an invasive insect. Oaks and maples, two other giants of urban plantings, are the next two genera expected to see severe losses due to new diseases. So leading experts in woody plants are telling cities they have to include nonnatives in urban forests because there simply aren’t enough native trees that will survive there.

Competing Approaches

Turning to the literature on this topic, Ed applauds Doug Tallamy’s “revolutionary” Bringing Nature Home, but suggests we also read Where do Camels Belong by Ken Thompson. It makes the point that flora and fauna have moved around the planet throughout history and we’re spending billions of dollars to battle invasive species when plant movement is a natural occurrence.

Ed warned us not to get caught up in views at either end of the spectrum, views asserted as “the only way.” His point is that humankind has so dramatically changed the global environment that our solutions for the future are likely to be found somewhere in between these two views.

Right Plant, Right Place

Ed suggests that with climate change, we should focus not on “natives” but on “regionally appropriate” plants. This term includes the possibility that if a native species is no longer able to thrive due to new, permanent adverse conditions, maybe there are similar plants from other regions that would provide the same benefits.

And instead of dissing some plants as “ornamentals, how about simply asking “What plants will do best in this landscape?” Ed suggests we learn from some “wonderful sustainability focused gardens that include nonnatives.” Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison is one example of a garden that uses a wide array of styles, from sustainable meadows to a new type of low-maintenance gravel garden to combinations of durable native and non-native plants.

Writers Teaching Gardening When writing and speaking to novice (and probably advanced) gardeners, Ed encouraged us to stop showing lists of plants we think people “should be responsibly planting.” Instead, we should tell them to start by analyzing their particular site for environmental, geographical and, most importantly, cultural conditions.

And we should not encourage them to use only plants that were indigenous to that area 200 years ago. To illustrate his point, he showed us a part of Wisconsin he’d gardened in where the soils had been heavily modified over 100 years of agricultural tillage and chemicals, then further modified during construction of the homes. “Never base a plant palette on what was native 200 years ago; base it on what the conditions are currently.”

“Hear, hear!” to everything Ed said.

For more information about Ed’s writing, speaking and consulting, go to Spellbound Garden. 

Ed Lyon on How to Write about Native Plants originally appeared on GardenRant on October 29, 2019.

from GardenRant https://ift.tt/2NwDDkv

[jakehglover]

Milkweed: A Plant That Breaks the Weed Stereotype

Weeds are plants that grow in a location where they’re not supposed to. They can propagate very quickly and grow in various environments, which allows them to take over a particular garden or farm. Due to these characteristics, weeds are taken out immediately whenever they appear.1

But according to Ralph Waldo Emerson, a weed is simply a plant whose virtues have not been discovered,2 and this rings true for milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), a plant native to North America.3 It’s commonly found growing along roadsides and ditches, but as you’ll learn soon enough, you’ll understand why it should not be typecast as a weed.4

Health Benefits of Milkweed

Milkweed has long history of usage, and a lot of what we know about it today comes from Native Americans. The plant has been known to help with the following aspects:5,6

Skin: Milkweed can promote healing of warts and ringworm. It can be also used against snake bites on certain cases.

Lungs: Milkweed’s reputation largely lies in its ability to help with lung conditions. It may help relax the bronchioles, reduce spasms and liquefy the mucus in the lungs. As such, it’s used to help various breathing conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, pleurisy and tuberculosis.

Stomach: Digestive problems such as diarrhea and constipation may be managed with milkweed.

Other uses: Consuming milkweed may help bring down your temperature when you have a fever.7 Snow blindness, sore muscles and rheumatism may also be alleviated using milkweed.8

Furthermore, planting milkweed in your garden can benefit insects, such as the monarch butterfly. It also attracts buckeyes, bumblebees, eastern tiger swallowtails and honeybees.9

Different Uses of Milkweed

Milkweed is primarily known as the only food source for monarch butterflies, a butterfly species known for the massive distances they travel during migration to escape winter. North American monarchs in particular can travel up to 3,000 miles and stay in California and Mexico.10

To help protect monarch butterflies and improve their chances of survival, you can plant milkweed in your garden or farm. You may use the Milkweed Seed Finder to locate seed suppliers in your area. If you opt for starter plants, make sure they are not pretreated with pesticides.

Small creatures rely on milkweed as well, such as the eponymous red milkweed beetle, which is known for its striking lipstick-red color, black spots and long antennae.11 Another example is the swamp milkweed beetle, which has orange and black markings.12 Certain aphids, ladybug beetles and ants also derive nutrients from milkweed.13

Humans have also benefited greatly from milkweed throughout history. Native Americans taught the first European settlers how to cook the plant properly to avoid becoming poisoned. The sap was applied topically to help remove warts, and the roots were chewed to help ease dysentery. Infusions of the roots and leaves were also made to help with coughs, fever and asthma.14

Milkweed has shown surprising potential in the realm of textiles as well. It is known for its strong fiber, which was used to make bow strings, threads, fishing lines and belts. However, it was during World War II that milkweed shone the brightest. It was used as the filler in life vests and flight suits to help countless soldiers and sailors survive at sea. To make the flotation devices, hollow milkweed fibers were coated in wax, making them waterproof and buoyant.15

Growing and Storing Milkweed in Your Home

Milkweed can be planted in pots indoors, or sown directly on garden beds. However, be sure to have ample space wherever you plant them, because they can grow anywhere from 2 to 6 feet high. Once a milkweed is fully matured, it develops a thick, green stalk, and the flower can have a pink, purple or orange color.16

To begin growing milkweed, place seeds in a pot or a garden plot during the fall, just before a killing frost arrives. This allows the seeds to germinate naturally during the cold season, so they can begin to sprout when spring comes. Milkweed seeds need cool soil to germinate properly, and using the frost to your advantage is an economical method.17

A few weeks after germination, the seedlings will start to appear. Throughout this time, keep the soil damp to provide hydration. Be careful not to overwater the soil, as this can cause fungus to grow on the budding plants. Make sure that they are placed in an area with lots of sun as well.18

Once the milkweeds have fully grown, you only have a small window of time to harvest high-quality seeds. Once the pods begin to break, harvest them right away and dry them in an open area for a day or two, then remove the silk-like material by hand. Store the seeds in an airtight container and place them in a dry location or the refrigerator.19 If you’re going to eat the pods, harvest them when they are less than 2 inches long, then repeat the same drying process.20

Cooking With Milkweed: Sautéed Milkweed Pods

You can try this recipe as a good way to introduce yourself to milkweed. It contains a mixture of various spices to create a great snack that can be shared with your friends during a party or a gathering.21

Ingredients:

2 dozen whole milkweed pods, each less than 2 inches in length

1 to 1 1/2 cups coconut flour

2 tablespoons raw, grass fed butter

1 tablespoon organic coconut oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:

Place the pods in a 4-quart saucepan and cover with cold water. Boil the pods for 10 minutes, then drain. Repeat the process once more.

Place 1 cup of coconut flour in a plastic bag. Place six pods in the bag and shake to coat them. Take the pods out and spread on a towel. Repeat the process, adding more flour as necessary until all of the pods are coated.

In a large skillet, melt the butter in the oil until it foams. Add the pods and allow them to cook undisturbed for three to four minutes until the undersides get a bit of a golden crust. Stir and cook another three to minutes until they become tender.

Season with sea salt and pepper. Serve warm.

This recipe makes four servings.

Beware, Milkweed Contains Dangerous Toxins

Milkweed can be supplemental to your health, but it can also be dangerous to animals and humans when consumed incorrectly. Pets are generally safe from the effects of milkweed as they rarely consume the plant. However, farm animals have a higher risk of milkweed poisoning.22,23

Currently, 76 species of milkweed are considered poisonous, but not all of them have the same level of toxicity. All of them contain cardiac glycosides, a group of toxins that are known to produce the following symptoms when consumed in large amounts:24

Dilated pupils

Weak pulse

Loss of muscle control

Respiratory paralysis

Violent spasms

Elevated temperature

Weakness

Gastroenteritis

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), farm animals are the most common victims of milkweed. Livestock such as sheep, cattle and horses may consume the plant during times when quality forage is scarce. If you’re a rancher, remove milkweed around your land to protect your flock or herd.25

To make milkweed safe for human consumption, it needs to be boiled in hot water several times (make sure to discard the used water) before it can be cooked. The recipe above follows this safety measure. Boiling removes the water-soluble toxins, making the plant safe for eating.26 But if you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above after eating milkweed (even if prepared correctly), stop and visit a doctor immediately.

Milkweed Can Be Beneficial as Long as You Prepare It Correctly

Adding milkweed to your regular diet can be beneficial to your health. Just make sure to boil the plant properly several times, and don’t forget to discard the water you used before repeating the process. As long as you follow this precaution, milkweed should be safe to consume.

from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/08/02/milkweed-herb.aspx