Wildflower series ~ Spring Stars
The first rain of the spring fell on Thursday night, bringing us a welcome relief from the relentless dust and wind although it has gone very cold because snow fell on the mountains to the South and East. I thought I'd go and see what has started flowering and went to the Eastern side of the ridges, which have a very different plant ecosytem, because it is cooler and less sunny. I wasn't disappointed as there are already wildflowers blooming everywhere. The first one I am featuring is Asclepias stellifera, also called Spring Stars
These delicate little beauties belong to the milkweed family, meaning that they have a white latex sap which is toxic if eaten. They flower in spring after winter fires. The sap is used traditionally to repel insect pests on cattle.
Image taken with my Samsung smartphone
A beautiful plant!
I have a question:
Is it not dangerous to use the juice of this plant on cows, if the juice is poisonous?
Or is it used to make a mixture from insect pests?
You can put it on places where they will not be able to lick, such as on the upper face and ears, to repel biting flies
Thank you!
How did I not think of this? !!! :-))) ha-ha
You wouldn't unless you have actually kept cattle ;)
:-))
You have the first rain of spring, and we have the first rain of autumn. Summer is over. Soon he gets into a fit. We have such a short summer.
It must be hard to contemplate the coming winter. Our summer is like your winter
We are getting our first cool weather here LI, NY
Hopefully it doesn't turn icy too soon
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Amazing Wildflower.
Awesome photograph friend..
Thank you!