Milkweed ID

Hello -

Can anyone tell me the (Latin) name of this milkweed? It has beautiful green translucent pods the size of an orange.

Thanks!!
go_native

Hey Go_Native;-Asclepias physocarpa also known as Gomphocarpus physocarpus either way it is from South Africa.

Thanks, Z-man! Now I can tell the girls at the garden club.

Best to you & enjoy the fantastic weather,
go_native

If your group likes those seeds, they will also like Nigella http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/63632/ and Nicandra http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/23015/ .

Hello All,

Here is information from our website at Monterey Bay Nursery, written by our owner Luen Miller.

Asclepias physocarpa -- MONARCH MILKWEED, BALLOON MILKWEED - It has humble but moderately showy, loose, pendant clusters of typical small, whitish milkweed flowers from spring through early winter which produce copious nectar and attract butterflies. These produce inflated papery seed pods, with soft ornamental "spines," that contain plenty of seed. The real reason you raise this plant is that it is by far the most suitable habitat for Monarch Butterfly larvae of any Milkweed we have grown in our area, better even than A. curassavica. This is partly because it grows more or less continuously and gives the larvae a constant ready supply of munchies, partly because it is fast and easy to grow, partly because the adults are attracted to the flowers in the first place, and partly because the adults probably sense that the large plant size provides adequate resources to finish raising a crop of young. Plant a few of these in your yard and if you have any population of Monarch Butterflies present at all they are bound to find them and begin laying eggs. To 4-8' tall and wide (unrestrained), perennial, evergreen, root hardy with hard frost, but somewhat short lived anyway and best replaced by volunteer seedlings after a several years. Full sun, most soils, usual watering. Sunset zones 8-24, USDA zone 8. rev 5/2006

To raise Monarch larvae, you can let them eggs laid naturally develop on the plant. However a high percentage will be parasitized by parasitic wasp and fly larvae. To be most successful you should search plants carefully and remove any egg cases or larvae found immediately as soon as detected. Raise them in jars with insect screen over the mouths in order to keep out the parasites. Even so, expect a high percentage of collected larvae to be already be parasitized. Watching the parasites develop and hatch can be even more interesting than the development of the actual butterfly, if you are aware of what is happening. Admittedly, though, it is not as poetic and wondrous for children to watch parasites slowly chew their way out of a helpless host as it is to watch the metamorphosis of a humble worm-like thing into an beautiful butterfly. When parasitized the larvae will turn dark and stop moving. To do it right, Monarch farmers actually catch females, tether them using thread, wait until they have been mated, then keep them captive until they have laid eggs. This is to ensure they can raise the resultant larvae in well protected, parasite free conditions.

Hope this was informative.

Keith Miner
Monterey Bay Nursery

Thanks for the info. I've planted physocarpa and have been wondering if it will give the cats the same protection from predation as our various west coast native asclepias. Do you know?
Sherry

Thanks, PotEmUp and Keith for the very interesting info and suggestions.

Because one resident in my neighborhood had a few milkweed plants in her yard, our whole area has been blessed with Monarchs since March. There have probably been four or five cycles of larvae to adult butterflies since March because of her milkweed. What an inexpensive way to bring wildlife to a garden!

Hey go_native! Could I possibly get some seeds from you? I think that milkweed is fantastic and I am trying to get this butterfly garden a fluttering! - Karen

Hi Karen-

I have a pod that has about 50 seeds in it and can send you some seeds. They sprout at a rate of about 90%. Just "d-mail" me your address & I will send.

I am sure that my neighbor would be willing to share more pods with me. Anyone else want some? Just d-mail me your address.

Happy Gardening,
go_native