Antelope Horn Milkweed, food for butterfly royalty
These flowers were wind planted in my front flowerbed a few years ago. The leaves are a favorite food of Monarch and Queen butterfly caterpillars. Native Americans made a tea from the leaves as a tonic to strengthen the heart. The Navajos used the milky sap to treat bites from rabid animals. When the flowers fade away, the seed pods form, the plant is named for the shape of the pods. When the pods split open, the seeds are attached to silky fibers similar to dandelions. During WWII, the silk was used as filling for life jackets and aviation jackets because milkweed silk is 5 to 6 times more buoyant than cork.
That was fascinating reading about the milkweed plant. I planted a few from seed one year and got a few to produce and had a good time taking the seeds out at the end of the season. Saw how that silky fiber felt. Wish I'd gotten some more seeds to do again. Will have to try to remember next year. This made a neat collage.
