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Image by M. Dean

Milkweed Seed Pod Collection

To help foster the creation of habitat for the monarch butterfly, Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI), in cooperation with Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Districts organizes a statewide Milkweed Pod Collection each fall.

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Please join us in collecting Common Milkweed seed pods each year from October to November. The collection bin is located outside our office door in the lobby of the Lorain County Agricultural Center, 42110 Russia Rd., Elyria, OH 44035. If it is not, please bring your collected pods into our office. 

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Milkweed is essential to the survival of monarch butterflies in Ohio, which is a priority area for monarchs. The monarch butterflies that hatch here in the late summer migrate to Mexico for the winter and are responsible for starting the life cycle all over again in the spring.

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Milkweed is the only host plant for the monarch butterfly for egg laying and caterpillar rearing. It also serves as a nectar source for monarchs and many other pollinator species. The disappearance of milkweed across the U.S. has contributed to an 80% decline of the eastern monarch butterfly population over the last 20 years.

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Collecting Seed Pods

  • Become familiar with common milkweed to avoid harvesting pods from similar plants such as hemp dogbane and swamp milkweed.

  • To collect the seed pods from a Common Milkweed plant it is best to pick them when they are dry and gray or brown in color. If the center seam of the pod pops with gentle pressure, they can be picked. The picture below is a good example of what to look for & when to harvest the pods.

  • Place collected pods in paper bags or paper grocery sacks. NO PLASTIC BAGS! Plastic bags collect unwanted moisture & create mold, which destroys the viability of the valuable seed.

  • On the bag, please write the date you collected the pods and the county you collected them from.

  • Keep the pods in a cool, dry area until you can deliver them to the Lorain SWCD office.

  • Only collect from your property or property you have been given permission to go on; do not trespass.

  • During the winter, seeds from the milkweed seed pod collection will be removed from the pods and returned to Lorain SWCD in the spring to be distributed for planting.

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Milkweed species that do well in Lorain County

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Lorain County Commissioners logo
Lorain County Conservation District thanks Commissioners
Jeff Riddell

David J. Moore

Martin Gallagher

for their continued support!

Office Contact 

​Telephone: ​440-326-5800

Email: conservation@loraincounty.us

 

42110 Russia Rd.

Elyria, Ohio 44035

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Hours: Monday - Friday 

8am - 4:30pm

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Non-Discrimination Statements (9/07)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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