Milkweed by Chipka
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Description
I’d gained a higher measure of respect for Martha Stewart, when she declared—on television, no less—that a particular plant was her favorite because it’s poisonous. I can’t remember the plant in question, and I don’t think she intended to say on-air that she liked a plant because of its distinctly unfriendly attributes. Or maybe so. At any rate, Martha Stewart apparently likes at least one species of toxic plant with dainty flower that look good on a windowsill.
My knowledge of plants lags behind my knowledge of animals, but I have learned that I’m more likely to enjoy particular plants that are poisonous, invasive, thorny, aggressive, or just downright surly (though it’s difficult to tell if a plant is surly or not, since they’re not in the habit of obvious self-expression.)
Milkweeds (relatives to dogbane) are surly plants. I’ve known this for a long time. I’ve also known that if animals consume enough milkweed, they’ll die, and the larvae of Monarch butterflies are among the only creatures around who are immune to milkweed toxins. Indeed, such toxins are stored in their bodies and when they pupate into adults, the gorgeous butterflies that they become are also toxic: or at least unpleasantly bitter to those people-who-are-birds. As a result, Monarch butterflies don’t have to worry about bird predation; this benefits Viceroy butterflies as well. Viceroys look like Monarchs, but are non-toxic. Those people-who-are-birds don’t know this, and so they avoid eating Viceroys also.
I wasn’t thinking of birds and butterflies when I snapped this photo a few years ago. I was simply walking with Corey, along the North Branch of the Chicago River, looking for things to photograph. I found these exquisitely diminutive flowers by their scent. I’d simply walked through a diaphanous curtain of scent. It was an amazing, sweet perfume: not heavy and cloying; there was no stinky undertone. It wasn’t the typical flower scent. What I smelled was insect-friendly; if it’s insect-friendly, I like it, given my abiding affection for those people-who-are-insects. I have no use for milkweed nectar (some of which is nearly visible in this image) and given it’s toxic nature, I’m not that willing to sample it. But I love the scent of diminutive milkweed flowers; they grow in clusters and there were hundreds of flowers in one particular cluster. I focused on only two such blossoms, however, and I rather like the end result.
Thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week/end.
Comments (12)
tofi
Perhaps living on the edge is in fact something of a thrill, even if in terms of plants and flowers. I feel what you're saying though, Chip! There is something very volatile, yet beautifully wild and fondly 'toxic' about this particular flower. It makes me think to the times at the cottage where I'm just out for a walk, and encounter a plant or 'pretty' weed of sorts, and question whether it's safe to touch, to smell, or to make contact with. And ofcourse, I do... going against my best judgement :) Brilliant subject, not only of course, but the capture of the image itself is stunning, and has such an incredible radiance and glow about it! I'm glad to see your post! Hope you are doing well, my Friend!
MrsRatbag
I don't know that I've ever seen milkweed; I probably wouldn't recognize it as such. But this is such a beautiful closeup of a stunningly exotic-appearing flower...and I know people call these weeds, but the differentiation between flowers and weeds is such a personal thing. To me this is as lovely as any orchid. Superb shot, Chip!
photosynthesis
A fine shot of this milkweed, which is becoming an endangered species in the U.S. Monarch butterflies will only lay their eggs on milkweed & it's their primary source of food in the caterpillar stage of their existence. The milkweed population has been decimated by the use of Roundup as an herbicide & largely as a result the Monarch population is in very severe decline as well. The number that completed the winter migration to central Mexico in 2004 was estimated at 550 million, but by 2013 that number had declined to 33 million...
Chipka
Those are pretty grim numbers, and it speaks of a lot of nasty stuff going on. On the flipside of that, people just outside of Chicago (mostly Oak Park and Berwyn) are intentionally planting Milkweed now. I'm starting to see carefully planted, almost "manicured" milkweed! In fact, last year, a bunch of kids were playing with the seed pods: pretending they were grenades.
KatesFriend
I'll wager that crows know that the Viceroys are not toxic. If they can tell the difference which they likely can. Crows seem to have culture which suggests that what one discovers the other will quickly learn and pass on to their offspring. The things one learns watching the CBC. Looking at your shot I again muse about the number five. Nature (on Earth anyways) seems love that number. One sees it over and over again. From the bloom of your milkweed to the appendages of the aptly named starfish to digits adorning a human hand - and foot. What is so fundamental about five that sets it apart from its fellow natural numbers? Is five a natural upper limit to complexity? Any higher would not be manageable but anything less would be more vulnerable. #ivebeendrinking
Faemike55
Thank you, Chip, for posting tis wonderful photo. You have answered several questions in my mind; first of which is what is the appearance of the milkweed and then the toxicity of the plant - I just learned from a very cool website that there are several types of milkweed: http://foragersharvest.com/milkweed-a-truly-remarkable-wild-vegetable/ Very cool, Chip!
durleybeachbum
This is a really beautiful photo, and although I knew about Monarchs and Milkweedi had no idea about the poison!
jendellas
Very interesting & a pretty flower. X
kgb224
Superb capture my friend. God bless.
treasureprints
Very nice.
NefariousDrO
This person-who-is-human loves the super close shot, I'd never have guessed those were milkweed blossoms, in fact, the shapes of the flowers almost remind me of some orchids. People are actively cultivating milkweed around here too, it's fascinating to see that happening! Lovely photo.
flavia49
wonderful
kaward
A delightful little bloom, regardless of it's sinister nature! Superb shot too!