All the Dirt on Gardening

Whether you call them Asclepias or Milkweeds, this family has everything from tall weeds that grow in drainage ditches to garden quality plants. Some of them are shrubs, some grow in wet soil, and others thrive in dry scrub. They grow in South Africa and there is at least one milkweed in every state of the U.S. Their flowers vary but all have seedpods filled with a fluffy, silky substance that carries the seeds on the air. Asclepias flowers attract several types of butterflies and their leaves provide food for Monarch butterfly caterpillars. There are three potential problems with growing Asclepias: The milky sap can cause a rash on sensitive skin, they attract aphids and cows can become sick if they eat it. Many Asclepias are native to Oklahoma but you can also grow other varieties with special care. The USDA Plants Database lists them at http://plants.usda.gov/ . If you have a milkweed to identify, go to http://shrvl.com/n751D to see 226 photos and drawings of Asclepias varieties. C...