Yesterday, I woke up to find a large 2-3 feet tall Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) cut off at the base. Meaning that something had cleanly severed an inch diameter stem and left two pieces of stem two inches long. The rest of the plant was gone! Whoever is doing this is probably the same culprit breaking off my succulents and leaving them to die. Is it a rat or a gopher? Now I am wrapping stems with wire mesh and planting my plants in wire baskets. cheesh!