« Previous Day: Mimulus guttatus |
Main
| Next Day: Salvia patens 'Blue Angel' »
May 14, 2008: Fremontodendron californicum
May 14, 2007:
Aloe plicatilis
May 14, 2006:
Brunnera macrophylla
May 14, 2005:
Philadelphus delavayi
August 1, 2006 : Danaus plexippus and Asclepias tuberosa
Keywords: Apocynaceae | Asclepias tuberosa L. | Nymphalidae | Danaus plexippus L.
Today's image is courtesy of Janet Davis, garden writer extraordinaire and author of the Beautiful Botany web site (previously featured as a resource link). Janet used this image of butterfly milkweed and a monarch butterfly to illustrate her article on butterfly plants. Please keep in mind that the usual copyright terms apply to this image since it is from someone not employed by UBC Botanical Garden. Thank you, Janet!
As mentioned in a previous entry, milkweeds are the exclusive food of monarch butterfly caterpillars. Toxins in the milkweed sap accumulate in the tissue of the caterpillar, rendering it (and the subsequent adult) poisonous and inedible to birds.
Asclepias tuberosa has two features that distinguish it from other milkweeds: 1) its sap is not milky, and 2) its leaves are alternately arranged, instead of opposite. The Shenandoah National Park in the US has an excellent factsheet on Asclepias tuberosa for more information.
On a final note, monarchs have been in the news and editorials recently regarding an international agreement to conserve monarch habitat. “Is the mighty monarch butterfly on its last wings?” is an editorial questioning the utility of the agreement in the face of other dangers to the monarch.
Photography resource link: The Making of a Fine Art Photograph, an article by Pete Myers for The Luminous Landscape web site. It examines the process and time spent in “digitally developing” an image for fine art after pressing the shutter.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at August 1, 2006 12:00 AM
Read recent comments on all BPotD Entries
Comments
Posted by: Bobbie at August 1, 2006 4:39 AM
Asclepias tuberosa - Z3 - RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Asclepias tuberosa - Z4-9 - A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, Brickell, Cole, Zuk
Posted by: Beverley at August 1, 2006 7:16 AM
Dan Timely coincidence Asclepias tuberosa being featured today. Hiking in the alvar area west of Ottawa yesterday,I was surprised to find an old logging road bordered by these beauties thriving in the thin barren gravel. I had never stumbled on this cream of the milkweeds growing this far north. Some unidentified butterfies cavorting amongst them added to the scene.
Posted by: Brian Carson at August 2, 2006 7:35 AM
That particular flower attracts a lot of butterfly activity in my area (southern NY). Sometimes I get lucky and see a monarch, swallowtail, and fritterly (sp?) all on the same plant. Of course, when I approach with my camera they all fly away. Sigh.
Posted by: Outdoor Lens at August 23, 2006 5:26 PM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
Post a comment
XML Feeds: Atom | RSS 2.0 | RSS 1.0 | What is RSS? | RSS Tools
Botany Photo of the Day and all associated images are licensed under a Creative Commons License except when otherwise specified in the accompanying written entry.
About Botany Photo of the Day | Submit Your Photos via Flickr | Submit Your Photos via UBCBG's Discussion Forums
Botany Photo of the Day is a project of the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, located in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. UBC BGCPR is a department of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems within The University of British Columbia.
This beautiful milkweed is blooming right now in East Texas where I live. It is fun to learn more especially when a plant I know and love is featured.