The Monarch Meadow and Fruit Tree Journal: Spring 2012

Last year I planted a Meadow. And this year I'm officially naming it the Monarch Meadow. Hopefully in years to come it will live up to that name. I'll add more species of Milkweed, and nectar plants Monarchs love. Not that I'm in any shortage of either mind you. I'm also proud to be growing Franklinia, Buttonbush, Native Pipevine, Bottlebrush and Buckeye.

Prairie Spiderwort, Tradescantia occidentalis, is also called Western Spiderwort because it's primarily native the prairies of the midwest. There are also populations of it in New York and New Jersey though. Of other species of Spiderwort that I've had over the years this one seems to stay open for longer in the afternoon. Other ones I've had are closed completely by 2:00pm. This one I can still find open around 4:00pm.

The bright pink/magenta flowers are imposable to miss in the morning and mid-afternoon. Butterflyweed, and Ozark Coneflower will be flowering shortly though along with assorted Coreopsis species. Also mixed in are some 215+ Liatris plants. I'll be making update videos once these start blooming.

Native Plums on the plum tree. I find it odd that I need to spray these with fungicide to get them to ripen. I wonder if it's just because of the Peach and Nectarine tree being so close. The disease seems to start on those trees while the Native Plum leaves are unaffected. Typically our native fruits don't get anywhere near the diseases found in commercial fruits.