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Milkweed Pod

While walking by the lake a week or so ago, I came across some milkweed pods. As a kid, I loved to find these as much as I did the white dandelions so I could blow the silky seeds away. There is something about watching things float off into the sky that is enormously amazing to children, and many adults too!
This time, I didn’t touch the pod, but took a few pictures because it looked so pretty in the sun. The pod was open and the seeds, attached to the long silky fibers, were being swept out by the breeze.

I don’t recall seeing the milkweed plants earlier in the year, but the pods always stand out.
Before writing this article, I was searching for info on milkweed plants and found a page at Squidoo which has all kinds of information about the usefulness of this plant.

Did you know that besides attracting Monarch butterflies, the silk is used to stuff pillows, vests and other things? Also, part of the plant is edible and it can me used for medicinal purposes. I didn’t know any of that. Once I read about the plant, and how to save the seeds, I began to wish that I had kept some of those seeds to grow milkweed in my own yard.

Visit the Many Uses For Milkweeds page to learn more and watch the video which shows the changes milkweed plants undergo.

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