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All About Milkweed

By Sharon
July 28, 2011

It took many years but it finally occurred to me that some of our most common plants have a more colorful history than our notably famous people do. The common milkweed is one of them.

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Jul 27, 2011 7:32 PM CST
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Name: Angie
Mackinaw, IL (Zone 5a)
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I had no idea it had been used to stuff lifejackets. Thanks, Sharon, for my "learn something new every day" moment. LOL Enjoyed your Aunt Bett story, as always!

Angie
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Jul 27, 2011 7:42 PM CST
Name: Sharon
Calvert City, KY (Zone 7a)
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Thanks Angie, happy about your learning moment!
I hope you and your boys are staying cool.
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Jul 27, 2011 11:19 PM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
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I also had no idea milkweeds were used to stuff life jackets. That's so interesting.
I was more taken with your love for your aunt. Seems she taught you many of your "life lessons.'' I had a favorite aunt too, and she introduced me to books and music, and so many experiences.
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Jul 27, 2011 11:24 PM CST
Name: Sharon
Calvert City, KY (Zone 7a)
Charter ATP Member Houseplants Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
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I hate to even admit this, but I was born during WW II and for many years during and afterward, the war was a common topic. Not so much for those who fought it, but for those of us who were around during it. It was just part of a way of life.

I had forgotten about the milkweed floss and the life jackets until I saw a clump of milkweed growing along the roadside recently. I usually take the interstate and miss out on all the good stuff.
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Aug 16, 2011 5:54 AM CST
Name: Mary
My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b)
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I loved milkweed as a child -- the fluffy-ness of the seeds when the pods burst was my favorite thing about them. I didn't know anything about monarchs or life-jackets at the time. Wish I could have known your Aunt Bett, but at the time, I wasn't even a gleam in my daddys' eye. Smiling
Northwest Georgia Daylily Society
I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week.
My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...
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Aug 16, 2011 9:12 AM CST
Name: Sharon
Calvert City, KY (Zone 7a)
Charter ATP Member Houseplants Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
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When I look at your name my eye sees it as Flit and I think of butterflies flitting and flying. I think you should add a butterfly badge right there beside your dog, bear and Gawgia peach!!

I wish you could have known Aunt Bett, too, she would have added a lot of useless information to your repertoire of knowledge, but it sure would have been colorful!

Thanks!
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Aug 16, 2011 5:14 PM CST
Name: Mary
My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b)
Gardening dilettante, that's me!
Plays in the sandbox Native Plants and Wildflowers Butterflies Dog Lover Daylilies The WITWIT Badge
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Bluebonnets Birds Region: Georgia Composter Garden Ideas: Master Level
I have a vast store of useless knowledge floating around in my head... Hilarious!


(and some other online friends call me flitwit and/or fitwit, so flit sounds good to me.) Smiling
Northwest Georgia Daylily Society
I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week.
My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...
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Aug 16, 2011 5:26 PM CST
Name: Sharon
Calvert City, KY (Zone 7a)
Charter ATP Member Houseplants Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Native Plants and Wildflowers Dog Lover Ferns Daylilies Irises Cat Lover
I am so glad to see that butterfly flitting about up there!
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Aug 16, 2011 6:34 PM CST
Lincoln, NE
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Miniature Gardening Butterflies
I've always referred to myself as a repository of useless information ~ and always eager for more. Glad to learn about the milkweed / life jacket connection. I just knew that fluffy wonderfulness had to be good for something.
Hurray!

I was just outside tidying up the garden, thinking about you and Aunt Bett, and wondering if she ever told you any stories about sweetgrass. ?

That's for telling me my afternoon story ~ I know I love them!
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand-basket?
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Aug 16, 2011 6:37 PM CST
Name: Sharon
Calvert City, KY (Zone 7a)
Charter ATP Member Houseplants Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Native Plants and Wildflowers Dog Lover Ferns Daylilies Irises Cat Lover
Sweetgrass. Soon, Moby, soon I'll tell you about sweetgrass.
Promise. *Blush*
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Aug 16, 2011 6:45 PM CST
Lincoln, NE
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Miniature Gardening Butterflies
Oh goody! Big Grin
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand-basket?
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Aug 17, 2011 7:11 AM CST
Name: Mary
My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b)
Gardening dilettante, that's me!
Plays in the sandbox Native Plants and Wildflowers Butterflies Dog Lover Daylilies The WITWIT Badge
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Bluebonnets Birds Region: Georgia Composter Garden Ideas: Master Level
Moby, your signature is one of my favorite quotes Smiling

Sharon, if you think the butterfly is nice, wait til I get around to uploading a profile pic. Hilarious!
(eta: I would have had the butterfly there from the beginning, but didn't see it when I was looking at the badges)
Northwest Georgia Daylily Society
I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week.
My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...
Last edited by fiwit Aug 17, 2011 2:15 AM Icon for preview
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