Been talking to some of the garden centers here in Dallas to see if they have any milkweed in stock. One said they weren't carrying it this year b/c they couldn't find a grower that didn't spray the plants. Another said they had Mexican Milkweed in 2 sizes but warned me that they had been sprayed. Don't know precisely what they have been sprayed with, but would any kind of spray be dangerous for the butterflies? I was thinking of surprising a friend who has recently moved here and is totally organic so I don't want to give her that kind of surprise.
Called the one back and was told that the growers use a systemic pesticide that is supposed to be gone in 30 days. He didn't know the name of it. And he didn't know when the spraying had been done.
Should I forego getting one of these? Opinions, please.
Milkweed
I would, better to give her a packet of seeds, to grow herself.
If you grow on plant of Milkweed this year and let the pods re-seed themselves freely, you will always have milkweeds in your garden.
Contact The Texas Discovery Garden and they might have some good milkweed plants for sale. I know they always have 2 plant sales each year and all the plants you will need for your butterfly garden.
I remember being in a lecture there and they were talking about this pesticide problems. I will not buy these plants ...
Most of the Monarchs passed already our area this year, but they will come back in September. Make sure you will have some Milkweed by that time.
I saw milkweed at Home Depot in weatherford today. It was labeled asclepias tuberosa but this girl knows better.. it had dark green foliage with red/yellow multicolor blooms. Pretty sure that's a. curassavica right? Or does a. tuberosa sometimes throw multicolor blooms?? I've only seen it pure orange or pure yellow. In fact it grows right down the road from my house so I went and took a few pics of the yellow variant. Isn't she pretty?
*Very pretty pics of a very pretty plant. Looking at the DG Plant Files (search = milkweed) it seems there is some confusion on the names. I will leave it to Frostweed, our local expert, to make any clarification.
*I have some milkweed and it's beginning to flower. The label says Asclepias currassavica Red Butterfly. From a distance, I would say that the flowers are going to be red with some yellow maybe in the middle.
*Seeds are a good idea for a gift.
*FYI - the Discovery Gardens has already had their spring sale.
This message was edited May 9, 2014 7:08 PM
This message was edited May 9, 2014 7:27 PM
I must be trigger happy.. meant to say I have seed from this yellow patch of a. tuberosa if you'd like :)
SPWD - I'm always a little nervous about planting from seeds. But since I'm giving this as a gift to a newly arrived Seattle-ite who wants to grow native plants and is organic, I'd be happy to accept some seeds for my new neighbor and for myself, if you have enough.
Yes, Asclepias tuberosa only comes in orange or yellow, may i have some seeds also?
Yes I'll bring some seed packets to the RU w/ your names on them. That will be all I have left to trade of these yellow for now (more later this summer), since I sent some to another DGer who is helping to save the monarchs :)
They wintersowed great for me and I have a few seedlings ready
to transplant soon.
Thank you I really appreciate it, since I take care of three butterfly gardens.
Oh good Josephine! Are there any milkweeds you're missing? I have a lot of different asclepias seeds.
Flowerchild, don't be nervous about starting them from seed. Just sow them in place where you'd like to have them grow, or do like I did and wintersow them in a 2 liter bottle. I used a 2 liter rather than milk jug for them since they tend to have a long taproot and don't like transplanting.
Very pretty indeed SPWD. I will hope to get a start of that variety later. I had run across some 'silky gold' tropical MW that I first bought down near College Station. I am going to make time this year to get seeds started. My MW bushes are just now coming up! Much too late for the Monarchs. :-(
I think I will sow in newspaper pots this year for the same "don't like transplanting seedlings" reason. LOL!
I will be able to pop them straight in the ground. Or I might plant them all in a large pot and move it inside so I am ready for spring migration next year.
This message was edited May 9, 2014 10:47 PM
SPWD - I'm happy to get the Asclepias tuberosa. What other milkweeds do you have?
I have a. incarnata, curassavica, physocarpa, tuberosa, and asperula. Hope to grow some seeds out for the fall RU, since lots of us in tx forums seem to like them :)
That is very sweet of you Becky, and I wish you lots of luck, which seems to elude me, but we must try and try again.
Becky - what Josephine said.
I have 3 seed pods on my Mexican Milkweed plant right now. Anyone want the pods? I can bring them to the RU.
Are they ready? I found a few green ones today on antelope horns mw, but no ripe pods yet. I did manage to score some gaillardia suavis, four nerve daisy, texas yellowstar and skullcap seeds during my hiking today though. Sweet!
No, they're still green, but they ripen very quickly. The next time I look at them, they'll probably be open and seeds will be flying everywhere!
Has anyone had success with zizotes milkweed ?
Most milkweeds choose their own germination rates, can be slow if they dont like the odds or even refuse to sprout.
Tell me about it, Milkweeds are extremely finicky when you want to put them somewhere, but if it is their idea to grow in a certain place, they can grow with abandon.
I am still trying to figure them out, and if I do, I will be sure to let you all know, and pass along the secret.