Gone to seed

This is the common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, which quickly invades neglected pastures and wasteland. It is toxic to sheep but doesn't seem to bother cattle too much, I think. It belongs in the same genus as the butterfly weed (A. tuberosa) that is often cultivated and is a big attractor for butterflies, especially the monarchs in this country. This milkweed develops large seed pods which burst as in this photograph and are wind distributed.

We are waiting for the rain that is  supposed to hit tonight and tomorrow, maybe up to four or five inches. We shall see!