Milkweeds (asclepias), what does good in zone 8a?

I'm planning for more butterfly host/nectaring plants for next year and am getting quite confused with all the different asclepias types!!! Can anyone else in my zone with experience with milkweeds, tell me what they've had good luck with? I'd like to start some plants soon, so they can establish themselves before the winter; looks like the only one I would wait to plant til spring would be the curassavica, since it looks like it's treated as an annual. My other problem is that no one around here (I mean, the few nurseries we seem to have!) carries any of the milkweeds, so I would have to mail order, and that will take some time. I'm anxious to get a few plants in the ground!

I found a list of Asclepia for SC

Asclepias amplexicaulis Sm.

Asclepias cinerea Walt.

Asclepias connivens Baldw.

Asclepias exaltata L.

Asclepias humistrata Walt.

Asclepias incarnata L.

Asclepias lanceolata Walt.

Asclepias longifoliaMichx.

Asclepias michauxii Dcne.

Asclepias obovata Ell.

Asclepias pedicellata Walt.

Asclepias perennis Walt.

Asclepias quadrifolia Jacq.

Asclepias rubra L.

Asclepias syriaca L.

Asclepias tomentosa Ell.

Asclepias tuberosa L. ssp. rolfsii (Britt. Ex Vail) Woods

Asclepias tuberosa L. ssp. tuberosa

Asclepias variegata L.

Asclepias verticillata L.

Asclepias viridiflora Raf.

X

Well, that narrows it down!!!! Yikes, SO many!!!!!!! Have you grown any of them, X? I can't find any nurseries up this way that carry a single asclepias. Thanks for your list, it was nice of you to put it together for me! Anybody have any experience in our zone with any of them? Any recommendations you can make?

All of those were for zone 7 and 8. I havent grown any. Plant files will have links where you can buy them and also people on Dave's that grow them.

X

Thea, have you tried anyplace in Sumter? I don't remember the name but if my addled brain remembers anything there was a pretty good nursery sort of before you got to the town of Sumter (coming from Manning). Perhaps right after going over some RR tracks -on you left???? Also, the Master Gardeners always have a good plant sale in Manning; maybe you can find out when it will be held. That is where you will get the best pass along plants.

I wonder if you're thinking of Eden's Nursery maybe, Ardesia? We were just there today!! I was in agony from a root planing at the periodontist but I still made my husband stop there (he was feeling bad for me, so I figured the time was right, just in case I found some plants I really wanted!!). Unfortunately, I didn't find anything I could get excited about, and no asclepias. I had asked them a few months ago if they could find me some, and they took my phone number, but I never heard from them. If I'd felt better this morning, I would've asked them if they had searched for them. I wonder if Waccamaw Farms (which we never did find) or True Blue, down in Pawley's Island might have them? I'll probably have to wait now, until the spring. But your idea about the master gardeners plant sale is good, I'll have to find out more!!! Thanks Ms. Ardesia.......

You are very welcome. It must have been Eden's I was thinking of; that sounds familiar.

I've had good luck wintersowing A. tuberosa. I would check out some internet sources for seeds and see what's available. I think that would be your best bet for growing a variety of them.

I think I will do just that, chamthy, thanks!!! I look out in the backyard and see my beautiful butterflies dancing around, and I've just GOT to get started on a game plan for next year!! Our neighbors have told us that they've noticed so many more butterflies and hummingbirds since we moved in (last September) and started our gardens, so I'm feeling very good and very positive for next year!!! More flowers!!!!!!

Why don't you just plant butterfly bushes? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/49898/

Easy to grow and common to find, butterflies love them.

If your going for the milkweed how about this? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/49898/

Oh yes, I DO have butterfly bushes, one that lovely Black Knight, and the other is a lighter one, pink, and the butterflies just LOVE them for nectaring!!! But I'm looking for host plants as well, hoping to attract more monarchs to my gardens next year, and that's why I want milkweeds.
I thought my buddleia was done flowering a few weeks ago, it looked pretty weary from the heat and the drought. Cutting it back, and now getting some cooler nights, it seems to have begun life anew!! It looks better than ever now, yippee!!! Same with my lantana. I just love looking out there and seeing so many butterflies!!!

I think monarchs just fly through the South. I'm from upstate NY and we use to catch catapillars and then wait for them to turn into monarch butterflies. It was a yearly project in my young grades along with raising chickens and ducks for eggs. I know they head to mexico in the fall and i just don't remember them living in the South. I have stood on the beach before and seen hundreds fly by in a hour or two. All heading South.

I could be wrong.

This is only my second fall in SC so it will be interesting to see how many we see here (last year at this time we were so busy moving in we didn't notice, plus there were NO flowers around this house). I've seen a few, not many, and put it down to not having their favorite plants around. You could be right, with their goal of Mexico, they might just not come thru SC, unless perhaps the wind currents goof them up.