The Asclepias asperula in the yard aren't doing great, but those in the pasture are having a banner year! I saw a single Monarch butterfly a couple of weeks ago, so maybe a couple of the Asclepias are harboring caterpillars. One of many changes in my lifetime here is that Monarchs are so seldom seen. They used to be a common butterfly and as a kid I was always searching to see if I could spot a chrysalis. I've been checking on the orange Asclepias tuberosa I planted last year, but if I should happen to find a caterpillar on them I'll relocate it to one of the A. asperula plants. A. tuberosa has buds, bud is weeks out from blooming like the A. asperula plants.
You can see them dotting the old field in the photo, sharing it with the native opuntias. They are the only thing doing well. Everything else should be green with vegetation interfering with seeing them as you can here. Due to the lack of rain, which continues to be scarce. Not shaping up to be a good summer for the native plants of any kind.
