50px
A Treasure in our gardens
50px
Bloc text
Do you know about milkweed ?
Have you ever noticed this plant in your garden or in the flower arrangements in the public spaces in Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie neighborhood ?
This is milkweed, a wild plant (often called "weed") that grows easily a bit everywhere in Québec. We often find it alongside roads or in pavement cracks in the sidewalk.
If you look closely, you will see long green pods underneath the leaves:
These are actually the fruit of the plant that contain a silky fiber connected to its seeds and that gives milkweed its other name: "American silk".
50px
Bloc image
50px
Bloc video
50px
Bloc text
Why does Maison Grocaut tell you about this plant ?
Milkweed grows everywhere around Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, the neighborhood where is located the Private Studio of the Maison. Being really concerned about the heritage we leave to the Earth through our choices and our actions, the designer Amandine has been doing research since 2016 and discovered that this plant deserves a lot of attnetion for several reasons :
First of all, it is the primary source of food for the monarch butterflies (which status was about to change to endangered species in May 2023 in Canada article written in French) before their migration to Mexico. That's why you will often see butterflies around them during the flowering season in the summertime, between June and October. They also lay their eggs underneath the leaves so that the caterpillar can feed off of it.
More relevant info over here (mostly in French):
https://ultratrailmonarque.com/fr/
https://fr.davidsuzuki.org/blogue/a-lasclepiade-papillons-monarques-ont-besoin-de-aide/
https://fr.davidsuzuki.org/publication-scientifique/la-conservation-du-papillon-monarque-en-milieu-urbain-au-canada/
https://espacepourlavie.ca/mission-monarque
50px
Bloc text
How you too can take action to help protect monarch butterflies
-
By getting to know this miraculous plant thanks to the links you can find above
-
By encouragind local creators who use the plant fiber in their creations: for example Lasclay or Maison Grocaut
-
By planting milkweed seeds in your garden or on your balcony when the season is right (how to plant the seeds guide and seeds available online with Lasclay or David Suzuki Foundation, or maybe thanks to Space for Life at the Montréal Biodome, to be confirmed)
-
By talking about what you learned around you: "Did you know that ...?" and tell us what you found out by reaching out by email at maisongrocaut@gmail.com and we'll feature your feedback on this website so that you can share it with your closed ones :)
50px