I had an idea of intercropping milkweed between fruit trees at my work orchard. What is the opinion of the peanut gallery? Well established trees are spaced around 15’ apart, currently they’re mulched with woodchips in a 6-8’ diameter with grass and whatever handles periodical mowing. My bad phone drawing sort of shows what I mean. Pink spots would be milkweed.
Obviously milkweed spreads and all, but I think the benefit to monarchs is worthwhile. There was a lot more of it on site, but it was been removed. I feel an obligation to bring some back.
I have Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), and HATE IT. Impossible to get rid of in between wanted plants, invades beds. I am told other types are better, but that is awful. I did toss seeds on an abandoned farm/deer plot. But where I want fruit, no.
I had seed for the orange kind, Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), but it would never grow where I wanted it.
I don’t think you’ll have any problems. Most fruit trees do quite well with forbs in regions dominated by temperate hardwood forests. They are natural companions. Common milkweed is quite a rugged plant. Adding still more diversity has many benefits, too. Do be prepared to intervene to preserve this diversity at times, though. If your site is anything like mine, you’ll find common milkweed a bit of a bully.
Also a very tasty and underrated edible. I favor the young shoots. Few foraged vegetables are so palatable and easily translated to expectations of the typical palate. You mention the word “intercropping” so perhaps none of this is news to you.
The most common reason was to remove it from cattle and dairy land due to its toxic effect on ruminate animals. This ushered in the collapse of U.S. monarch populations.
Some research I read suggested that the orange butterfly weed is not preferred by monarchs. They like syriaca and incarnata more. Which is a bummer because the tuberosa can be used in a landscape much easier than the others!
I’m interested in the same idea. I want to start planting between trees rather than mowing. I need suggestions. Sounds like milkweed is not a good choice.
I had the incredible fortune of being in Mexico at the monarch Refugia when they were filming this. Had dinner at the same large table with the whole film crew ! Got a real education / appreciation
For monarchs
So many butterflies !
The only people I can imagine that would not like monarchs would be the illegal loggers that want to cut the trees down that they roost in, in Mexico
What’s not to like about them ?
Why wouldn’t you want them ?
Beautiful and fun to have around!
I have been mowing “ around”Milkweed in my orchard for decades
If a plant comes up in the sod middles and I mow around it for a year but cut it the next it will often come up some distance sideways from there. Often ,eventually they live exactly where you have your pink dots drawn in your opening photo. !
So I think you have a good plan
These are just native wild milkweed , they live here too.
Not planted but that’s were they end up.
Monark is a beautiful butterflie, but I have seen much larger, fancy, more colors/colorful, pattern beautiful butterflies in different countries. Therefore, to me, monark is not as much special as it is to you, don’t mean to hurt your feeling. Your time with the film crew must have been a lifetime experience. It is incredible that it migrates for such long distance.
Yeah I’ve grown some patches of common milkweed for them over the last few years. I try to give back to nature a little of what I take. I say don’t worry about it and plant some. If it feels good, do it.
