honeyvine milkweed benefits?

Are there any benefits to having honeyvine milkweed in a permaculture/polyculture system? All I've read from conventional wisdom is that it is invasive and needs to be eradicated.

I'm guessing that the weed just needs to be killed.

Hi lhunt,

All plants not including the GMO monsters we are now encountering always play some important role in nature. Sometimes exotics from other areas can be overwhelming but we must consider if they are thriving with no help from us there must be a reason for them to be existing so well. Nature exploits niches, what you need to do is figure out what niche is being filled or exploited so you can better understand what you can or should do about the honeyvine.

Honeyvine milkweed appears to be a true milkweed so at the very least it is a major supporter of the Monarch butterfly. I would assume it should also be quite beneficial for pollinators. Certainly it appear to be a good choice for chop and drop type mulch as well. From the little I scanned it must have other additional soil building properties as it often appears in places of disturbance.

So if it grows well for you use it.

Good Luck,

Jeff

It seems to attract aphids and ants. I think it can be used a little like sunflower as an aphid magnet to get them off of more favorable plants.

lhunt wrote:
Are there any benefits to having honeyvine milkweed in a permaculture/polyculture system? All I've read from conventional wisdom is that it is invasive and needs to be eradicated.

From a quick scan of the lit, I note it's a native, bees and butterflies go nuts over it, has a deep, extensive root system, etc. Some sources said that it's non-toxic to livestock, but many milkweeds have toxins to avoid browsing. I'm not sure. If you keep it, it's good for pollinator support and native wildlife.