How do you Root Milkweed Cuttings?

Hi all.
How are you all?
I just recieved some Asclepias Syriaca and Asclepias Tuberosa cuttings and was wondering how to get them to root. Does anyone know how?Thanks in advance!
Danny

Have you ever used a rooting hormone? It is a powder that you dip the cuttings in before you put them in the planting medium?

From what I can research, and bear with me because I have never tried to root milkweed. Milkweed cuttings root best in a sterile seed starting mix that drains well. The roots are supposed to grow stronger than if rooted in water.

The rooting hormone stimulates the stem to produce roots, and it contains a fungicide that prevents damping off.

I have rooted a large number of cuttings from many kinds of plants, and I find that if I start with firm, but not woody stems, and I use a rooting hormone such as Rootone, results are usually successful. You can get this in the garden center at Lowes or Home Depot, or any well-stocked nursery. I find it quite handy, and keep some around at all times.

I dampen my sterile mix with warm water until it is as damp as a wrung out sponge. I select a pot that will be easy to maintain moisture in, fill it with the sterile mix,and poke some holes in this mix with a pencil.

I make sure that I have pulled the leaves off of at least one joint of the cutting, and dip that into the hormone. I then carefully put the cutting in the hole without dragging off the hormone powder. Firm the mix around the cutting and move on to the next one. You can put quite a few cuttings in one pot, it will not hurt them.

I then lightly cover with a plastic bag, or clear bottle, and put somewhere that gets good light, but not direct sunlight. Sun will heat up the cover and cook your cuttings. Make sure that the mix stays damp, but not soaking wet, and the cover does not heat up too much. Poke some holes in it if you need to.

In a few weeks, new growth will appear, and that means that you have roots. You can then take off the cover and harden them off to strong sunshine a little bit at a time.

I hope this helps, as I've never done milkweed, but the procedure seems to be similar to plants that I have rooted.

Thank-you. The cuttings are Asclepias Syriaca and Tuberosa. I have tried the hormone and nothing.

I think they will root either way. With or without the hormone, but the way I understand it, a greater percentage of your cuttings will 'take' with the hormone. From what I've read, milkweed seems to be a bit tougher to coax to root than some other plants.

Most authorities tend to recommend seeds for milkweeds, but you have to wait an extra season most times with them.

Yes that is true. Thank-you.

Yes, if you can get your cuttings to root, you'll be that much ahead on your project.

Thanks.

Melody, would you suggest bottom heat with these cuttings?

I have never used bottom heat, but it is a viable procedure that could make a difference in the percentage of cuttings that 'take'

I can't attest to milkweeds because I've never done them, but it helps with other perennial herbacious plants the way I understand it.

Thank-you both!

Here in Florida, I just root them in water. Works everytime.
Susan

Really..What are the Milkweeds that you root? I have rooted Asclepias Curassavica, but not others.They die in the water.

I don't know the scientific name of them, they're just orange milkweed.
Strangely ,I bought more milkweed this year for the monarchs and haven't seen any cats on them. However we have an abundance of black swallowtails and pipevine swallow tails that love the parsley,fennel and ofcourse the pipevine!
susan

Do you have seeds of he Milkweed? What milkweeds do you have? Do you have pictures. I can identify them from pictures. I have a butterfly garden, and I wanted to have every singly Milkweed species. Right now I have just Asclepias Curassavica and 1 Calotropis Gigantea that does not put out seeds.

I have a bunch of Asclepias Syriaca seeds that someone sent me last Spring. I would be happy to mail you some if your rooting fails. At any rate, please keep us posted. Sometimes just trying again results in success. I use Vermiculite as my rooting medium so it is sterile. It holds water but not too much. I have never tried to root milkweed. I just moved into a new house and have A. Syriaca, A. tuberosa and A. incarnata plants growing which I started from seed this Spring. I hope they are big enough for monarchs next Summer. (The attached pic is from 2006.)
Good luck,
Paul

Thank-you. Of the cuttings I only have the 2 Asclepias Tuberosa cuttings and 1 Asclepias Syriaca cutting. I would love the seeds. Have they gone through a cold period?