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Stop and Smell the Milkweed
You’ve probably heard the saying “stop and smell the roses,” but what about the milkweed? Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) begins blooming in June and hits its peak in July. Their large pink flower clusters produce a strong, sweet aroma that attracts pollinators, and sometimes humans as well. Milkweed is well-known for its importance to monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars only eat milkweed leaves. Monarch caterpillars eat the toxic leaves of milkweed which makes the caterpillars toxic and bitter tasting to predators. Without milkweeds, monarch butterflies would go extinct.
As the name suggests, common milkweed is the most common of the milkweeds, and you can find it growing in sunny habitats including open fields, edges of woodlands, and even places like alleys and railroads. But there are 12 other species of milkweed in Cook County, with different flower colors, leaves, and habitats. Next time you come across a blooming milkweed, stop and give it a sniff!
