Here in Michigan we have Butterfly Weed which is a species of milkweed native to eastern North America. It is a perennial plant growing to 0.3–1 metre (10 in–3 ft 3 in) tall, with clustered orange or yellow flowers from early summer to early fall. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate, 5–12 cm long and 2–3 cm broad.
This plant favors dry, sand or gravel soil, but has also been reported on stream margins. It requires full sun.
It is commonly known as Butterfly Weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of nectar. It is also the larval food plant of the Queen and Monarch butterflies. Hummingbirds, bees and other insects are also attracted.[1]
In the fall you will find tall narrow pods that hold the seeds of this plant, rigth now these pods are starting to open and the seeds emerge.
I like to wait till the seeds are falling out of the pods, which will sometimes create nice compositions.
Here is a tight shot of the seed heads
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