milkweeds
Monarchs' larval food
Milkweeds are plants of the genus *Asclepias*, named for the milky sap that oozes when stems or leaves are broken.
Native to North America, they're best known as the primary food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars.
The plants produce clusters of fragrant flowers and pods that burst open to release seeds attached to silky white fibers: The field was full of milkweed fluff drifting on the breeze.
Recurring each year
- herbaceousHaving soft green stems
- wildflowerUncultivated flowering plant
- seedpodPlant's reproductive casing
- follicleSkin cavity growing strands
stems · rhizome · foliage · umbel · taproot · latex · sap · species
Milky plant-derived polymer
- poisonousCapable of causing death
- sapPlant circulatory fluid
- alkaloidsNitrogen-based organic compounds
- sequestrationAct of setting apart
unpalatable · bitter · livestock · toxins · ingestion · irritant · emetic
Hereditary supreme ruler
- caterpillarMoth or butterfly young
- larvaeImmature metamorphosing creatures
- nectarFloral sugar water
- migrationMovement to new territory
chrysalis · metamorphosis · instar · pupation · pollinator · wingspan · antennae · proboscis
Open grassy flatland
- meadowGrassy field for grazing
- fieldArea of specialty
- grasslandTreeless herb-covered ecosystem
- savannaTropical grassland, sparse trees
wetland · marsh · roadside · ditch · riparian · native · pasture · hedgerow
Flower or flourishing state
- nectarFloral sugar water
- umbelRadial flower cluster
- beesWinged pollinators
- waspsFlying insects with stingers
beetles · flies · fragrant · pink · white · orange · corona · hoods
Returning something to condition
- preservationMaintaining something's condition
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- biodiversityRange of life forms
resilience · sanctuary · refuge · rewilding
perennial
Recurring each year
- herbaceousHaving soft green stems
- wildflowerUncultivated flowering plant
- seedpodPlant's reproductive casing
follicle · stems · rhizome · foliage · umbel · taproot · latex · sap · species · dicotyledon
latex
Milky plant-derived polymer
- poisonousCapable of causing death
- sapPlant circulatory fluid
- alkaloidsNitrogen-based organic compounds
sequestration · unpalatable · bitter · livestock · toxins · ingestion · irritant · emetic
monarch
Hereditary supreme ruler
- caterpillarMoth or butterfly young
- larvaeImmature metamorphosing creatures
- nectarFloral sugar water
migration · chrysalis · metamorphosis · instar · pupation · pollinator · wingspan · antennae · proboscis · molt
prairie
Open grassy flatland
savanna · wetland · marsh · roadside · ditch · riparian · native · pasture · hedgerow · fallow
bloom
Flower or flourishing state
wasps · beetles · flies · fragrant · pink · white · orange · corona · hoods · horns
restoration
Returning something to condition
- preservationMaintaining something's condition
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
biodiversity · resilience · sanctuary · refuge · rewilding
milkweedsedible greens
Leaves safe to eat
lettuce · spinach · salad greens · kale · food crops
milkweedscash crops
Plants grown for profit
food crops · corn · wheat · soybeans · garden plants
- milkweed podPlant's feathered seed case