Aug. 28, 2016 - More Flowers
Read MoreSwamp Milkweed grows 3 to 4 feet tall. It has clusters of rosy pink and white flowers at the top. Notice the yellow and green pods near the top of the photo. Those are flower clusters that have already gone to seed. True to its name, it does grow well in wet places but it also thrives in drier areas. This makes it a popular ornamental plant in flower gardens. This photo was taken at Silverwood Park in St. Anthony, Minnesota.
Here’s a closer look at the Swamp Milkweed flowers. They have 5 downward-pointing petals and 5 that point up. This plant is especially attractive to Monarch Butterflies. We’ve had a good crop of Swamp Milkweed at our home in northern Minnesota this year. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen any Monarch Butterflies.
Common Mullein takes 2 years to mature. During its first year, a low rosette of large, soft leaves is produced. In the second year, a tall flower stalk grows and it can reach 6 to 8 feet high. There can be a single flower cluster or, like the one in this photo, there can be several branching clusters. Most books say that the flowers open starting at the top and moving down. However, the flowers on this plant seem to be opening in a random pattern. This photo was taken at Silverwood Park.
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