Wow, look at all the new Milkweed Newbies joining in!
Welcome, beth4652, abarbie4me, MrsHolland, and Fernette. I added all of you to the adoption list.

elvis, please pick a newbie(s) (and post here, so we are know who you are adopting) and try to get in touch with them. Thanks for offering to adopt!

terenne, I have you down for adopting both michi81 and darlene87.

darlene87, thanks for letting us know that you received milkweed seeds from xiangirl.

kathunder, thanks for letting us know that you received milkweed seeds from docmom.

This thread continues to be a huge success, thanks to all of you who are participating. Just think about all the new milkweed plants we will all be growing next year :)

I received stamps in the mail today from lenahall. Lena, I will be putting your seeds in the mail tomorrow. Please let us know when they arrive. Hope you enjoy them!

Kathunder has emailed me that she has received her seeds.

Martha

I still have a bunch of common milkweed seeds if anyone wants to do a SASE or trade for fruits and veggies.

Hi Folks,
Well it's official the MILKWEED FORUM is up and running as of 4 PM today (10/21/13). It can be viewed at: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/milkweed/ . Please pass this along to all your friends and let's all start doing everything "Milkweed" on this site. Thanks to all of you who sent in requests to Gardenweb and for your patience while this site was constructed. It's a brand new look for Gardenweb and our forum is the first to have it. Enjoy!!
Regards,
Mark (wildflowerman_2000)

Madcatter13 let me know that she received the milkweed seeds from me. I'm still waiting to receive an envelope from plantsforever.

Hi there,

Looking to plant some milkweed when spring comes. I am in zone 5B in Howell, Michigan.

i received my seeds from KCHD :) thanks so much!!! i have my seed bed ready with some other natives plants from the georgia native plant society... i had hoped for more room for milkweed, but it's a start :) will post pics soon!!

And I'm back!

Thanks for the updates, caterwallin and lenahall! I've updated adoption status' to "complete" in the adoption list.

Welcome, swimbikerun! I've added you to the list of newbies to be adopted.

andbowen and Fernette - - I'd like to adopt each of you. I will send you each an email.

I have a question about planting non-native milkweed. The native milkweed that's been growing wild in my backyard for 35 years, I thought was a weed, and have always dutifully picked off the leaves :( but never dug out the roots. It had a good root system and survived my weeding for 3 decades. About 2 years ago, by (my) mistake, the plant seeded and a new plant grew about 20 feet away. I let it grow, and was shocked one day to walk past this tiny plant and see it sporting 2 stunning huge caterpillars that were so odd but remarkable that I ran into the house to look up what I had--and it's been 'Monarch-love' ever since.

This native milkweed Is Asclepias Fascicularis, native Californian milkweed, a narrow leaved 3 foot tall plant w/ white flower, and is native from So.East WA, and adjacent Idaho, throughout Oregon and California, down to Baja Calif,and into parts of Nevada. It's drought tolerant, can take coastal fog and clay soil. Maybe this should be posted in the new milkweed group?
Anyway, this milkweed has extremely low toxicity compared to other milkweed, barely any. It's not beautiful, looks like a weed, and I'm sure that it would never be found at a regular nursery. The Monarchs in my area zone 10, (So.Cal) love it. They DON'T seem interested in non native milkweed I have tried a few times. How do you old-timer Monarch raisers feel about planting non-native milkweed in your garden? I have read several times that the Monarchs of an area are adapted to the native milkweed and it's toxicity level, and don't do well with non native milkweed with a higher toxicity. Has this been your experience, Monarch raisers in the western states I mentioned?
I let it grow wild in my large backyard this year and have lots of seed for anyone in these states.I have a disability and could only commit to one person at a time, but would be glad to send some out this fall and winter until I run out. I have a lot, and some from last year- is last year's seed still good? It's been kept dry indoors?

I will try to post a link with pics and good info, if you care to read the article on toxicity and the fly pathway of western Monarchs, please let me know what you think, I'd appreciate it. This milkweed is prone to oleander aphids. I crush the fat yellow aphids on sight, and probably accidentally kill some M. eggs or young larvae as a result. Ladybugs and even more so, their larvae eat not just aphids, but eat Monarch eggs and likely the newly hatched Monarch larvae which are VERY tiny.

Sorry if the host wants to move this posting to somewhere else. Maybe this should be discussed elsewhere, but I just had to ask when I saw that tropical milkweed was being grown in San Diego--do you get the local Monarchs thriving on it? It has a much higher toxicity that the locals would be used to, so it says in articles I've read? Just needed to know, thanks!
(I'm not affiliated with the nursery whatsoever, it just has good info to any western newbies-I am pretty much one too) I have to say that my plants NEVER look close to as nice as those in those photos. I'll post a picture of my milkweed with a cat on it taken a month or so ago.

Here is a link that might be useful: Calif. Native Milkweed (Nursery)--good pics and info

First emergee this season on Cal. native milkweed, Asclepias Fascicularis. The California flyway runs from So East Wa, to Baja Ca.

Hi Monarch-Ma-so-cal,
I live near the coast in San Diego. The caterpillars seem to do fine on A. curassavica (tropical). Local nurseries sell it, the San Diego zoo has a lot of it, the butterfly garden in Balboa park has it. But I didn't know there was another milkweed that would grow as a perennial here. I would love to have some seeds of A. fascicularis. I have a perfect place in my low water garden. I'll send you an email.
Ruth

Hi socalgal, I will be glad to send you some A. fascicularis seed, (Cal.native). I would like to trade you for some tropical milkweed, and give it another try. The narrow leaves make it very hard to raise the eggs indoors I'm finding. The eggs hatch, and the tiny little guys wander anywhere but onto those narrow leaves! The A. fascicularis seed would do well being scattered around undeveloped areas that you see when hiking, or areas in the city or town that are allowed to be unkempt.
I'm new here and still learning the site. Ruth, but I'll figure out the email system to answer your email.

Hi swimbikerun!
If you still need to be adopted let me know! I have milkweed seeds.
Heidi

petedist sent me an email saying he got his milkweed seed :)

Thanks for the update, BeesNeeds. I sent seeds off to Fernette on Saturday, so she should be getting those soon. Haven't heard from andbowen, tho.

Hi,
Would love to be included in the Newbie listing. Thanks!

Hi KCHD, I am in touch with Mich and Darlene, SASBEs are pending.

Wilflowerman, great to see the milkweed forum is up and running, I will be checking it regularly no doubt. The new format seems okay.

Monarch-ma, nice pics on the A. fascicularis. I looked at some images, and they have pretty flowers. I have grown A. curassavica for 5 years, and the Monarchs love it. Could not tell you for sure if using a non-native species is safe for the Monarchs, but it doesn't seem to be a problem at least in a local context. I also grow A. incarnata, A. syriaca, A. tuberosa, and other less common species, which are usually used by Monarch females (A. verticillata not used, leaves too skinny I think).

There is a natural variation in cardio-glycoside content across species and individuals. A. curassavica has naturally high levels, which I've read could convey some resistance to predators and OE.

This post was edited by terrene on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 23:07

Welcome, Lorabell. Happy to have you join us! I will add you to the list of newbies to be adopted :)

Thanks for the update, terenne. And for all the nice info on milkweed cadio-glycoside content.

Monarch-Ma -
I would love some of your native milkweed seeds. I have had lots of luck with the A. curassavica . I even have the all yellow kind. I let it reseed itself where it may in my garden. I have tons of seed this year as I started a dedicated "butterfly garden" this year. I will email my address if you would like to trade seeds.

kchd, You are the best. I received an over abundance of seeds from you. Surely looking forward to, hopefully, seeing some monarchs later on. Thanks, so very much.

If anyone where interested in adopting us for milkweed seeds, that'd be awesome! We are in TN zone 6. Thanks!!

Domehome, I'll be happy to send you some A. fascicularis, Calif native milkweed seeds. I'll email you. Sorry I got swamped with work and wasn't able to reply sooner.

This milkweed (cal. native--A. fascicularis) was only four months old and was the first milkweed plant in my yard-it seeded from 40 year old rootstock in my yard that I'd always 'weeded'. But even being a small plant, maybe 12" wide by 12" high, it had 2 large cats on it! I didn't know what they were but loved them on sight! Taken October 2011. The Monarchs will come to such a small plant, it amazes me. On windy days, I throw the seeds up in the air and hope they find homes.

I read that Monarchs can smell milkweed from 20 miles away
(through their antennae).

Milkweed self-seeded 2 years later.

i would like to be adopted

Welcome, Duchessof8939 and yeli0507. I have added you both to the list of Milkweed newbies waiting to be adopted.

Fernette, you are most welcome for the seeds! Here's to you have an outstanding butterfly garden for many years.

Monarch-Ma-so.cal, thanks so much for posting those great photos of your milkweed!

Lorabell and yeli0507, please post to the thread what state you are in. You are more likely to be adopted if people know what state you live in & can match appropriate milkweed species for your climate.

andbowen, I have emailed you and posted on this thread that I am interested in adopting you. Please let me know if you are still interested. If I don't hear from you in a week, I'm going to move on to another newbie and assume you are no longer interested in being adopted.

Winter sowing season is starting, which is a perfect way to naturally provide cold, moist stratification for your milkweed seeds. Let Mother Nature do the work for you :)

Sorry,
I'm in zone 8 North Carolina.
Thanks

Wonky, zone 7, received the milkweed seeds I sent last week.

Sandy

I received an email from plantsforever saying that the milkweed seeds got there, so please mark that trade complete. Thanks.
Cathy

Thanks for the updates, ladies! I updated the newbie list :)

Katie

I would be interested in growing some milkweed! I'm open to grow what someone feels could handle the hot 90-100 degree summers of dry heat here in the valley. Thank you in advance.

Sandy
Sacramento, CA

I'd like to have some of the orange butterfly milkweed seed please.

I still have plenty of common milkweed (A. syriaca) seeds available to anyone that sends a SASE.

I'd like to be adopted as a milkweed newbie. My mom would like to start a butterfly garden for Monarchs next summer and I told her I would help her get seeds started. Also, any tips on growing milkweed or any other info on other plants to include for happy monarchs is greatly appreciated. : ) We live in zone 5a.

I sent clipclop an email.

Welcome, sandy_village, clipclop, and em247! I will be adding you to the list of newbies at the top of this thread.

Lucky you, clipclop! dem_pa has already volunteered to adopt you and should be in touch. Thank you, dem_pa!!

NKUSigEp, if you don't mind, would you please initiate contact with newbies you would like to adopt and let me know who they are so I can mark them down as adopted by you? That way you can send them your mailing address privately.

I've already started my winter sowing! How many have also done so?

Katie

em247, what state are you in? You are more likely to get adopted if you tell us your state. Zone 5a in Michigan is a much different climate than zone 5a in Idaho. Knowing your state helps people choose appropriate species to send to you.

clipclop, I am assuming you are in Georgia based on your favorite forum on your profile page. Please let me know if this is correct.

I'm going to send one more email to andbowen. If I get no response, I will remove them from the list and adopt the next newbie.

Sorry, forgot that part. I'm in Iowa. : )

Domehome, your seeds are finally in the mail today! Thank you for your patience, and for sending those stem tops of Asclepias physocarpa from your garden with your envelope! My milkweed leaves are so small and full of black mildew--it's been so difficult feeding so many cats--I was in way over my head-- the big stem tops you sent were a lifesaver!! One top kept 2-3 large instars happy for several days.Thank you!!!

HI, I love Butterflies and would love to add these to my garden. Does anyone want to adopt a newbie from TN in zone 6?

Thanks so much!

This post was edited by teisa on Sat, Nov 30, 13 at 8:53

I have offered to adopt Em247 in Iowa. I sent her an email and I'm already packaging up seeds for her. I am particularly interested in helping out in Iowa, since my inlaws live there and it is in a critical region of the US where milkweed is disappearing. Thanks.

Martha

Hi! I would love to try some milkweed as well. I'd love to attract more bees and butterflies to my home. I'm in SE FL, zone 10.

Thanks!!

Anybody interested in adopting a milkweed newbie in UT, zone 6/7?

Welcome, teisa, Shannon.S, and blossombrigade. I will add you to the list of newbies to be adopted.

docmom, thanks so much for adopting another newbie!

Well, this thread is now full. Please join us on Part 3 on the seed exchange forum.

I will be transferring the current list of newbies over to that thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: Adopt a Milkweed Newbie - part 3

I would like to be adopted - I'm in zone 10 Southern California - thank you!

THIS THREAD IS 2 YEARS OLD

I am very interested in the Adopt-A-Milkweed Newbie program. I love butterflies and would love to attract more to my yard. That would be fantastic! :)