Importance of situating milkweed in multiple locations

[applestar]

As we approach fall, I look around the our Waystation garden and what I see has impressed on me the importance of situating the milkweed patches in multiple locations. Right now, my most prevalent milkweed is A. Syriaca. Some are already in pretty bad shape -- all yellow -- and I would never feed these to the Monarch cats unless I was desperate. But in some of my other locations -- generally more shady and/or more watered -- the Common Milkweed is still going strong with perfect green leaves.

I did grow some tropical milkweed -- A. Curassavica and (ugh can't remember the Latin name) Oscar's milkweed ... G - something - ph - something - carpus?? Anyway, these are still flowering, providing nectar source, and growing well with intense green leaves, especially Oscar's. A. Curassavica has been opening their seedpods for a couple of weeks now, and Oscar's is fattening up their green seedpods.

A. Tuberosa Is shedding the last of their seed puffs while A. Incarnata is just starting to open their pods. Incarnata is the worst hit by the yellow aphids. I'll spread them around more next year so, like the syriaca, they'll also have different conditions to enjoy and hopefully extend their season.