Hi Penny, I must say that I have never bothered to chill milkweed seeds and normally I have no problem getting them to germinate. In fact, in my yard all I need to do to get more milkweed is to disturb the soil and I usually get a bunch of new seedlings in a matter of days. Usually they are either the tropical or physocarpa variety. I have been trying to get the native CA kind going but the plants have never set seed for me for some reason. They flower nicely but aren't ever fertilized. I think it is because the butterflies and other polinators have so many plants to choose from here.

Depends on the species, Penny. Murray, tropical, and physocarpa are more "tropical" in nature, and don't need stratification (cold treatment) like most of the perennial, hardy milkweeds, like incarnata, tuberosa, speciosa, viridis, syriaca, etc.

Could be also that your seeds are old and have lost viability. In that case, you may get 1 or 2 that germinate, but most don't.

Susan

Its hard to get fresh seeds on ebay try the seed exchange its great.
Angie

Here is a link that might be useful: seed exchange

Hmm,

Seems eveywhere I hang people have negative things to say about eBay. Penny, are you having trouble with the seed you got from me there?

randy

I don't think it is your seed. I have gotten so much over the years I'm not sure which I got from you. I'm not sure too that it's not me! Also I have few if any complaints with ebay sellers - The ones I got were the Giant Milkweed which Tdog says stinks and a couple of ones that needed chilling. Plus the variegated one is doing great. It's really surprising how different they all are.

Penny

Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea) is fine IF you don't have a lot of rain and IF you don't have freezing temps and IF...get my drift? I love the blooms and the fragrance but DH just couldn't stand the fact that there just wasn't much going on with this plant (much more tropical than even Tropical Milkweed) in Southern California so I just took it and transplanted it at school where no one much cares what I do in the butterfly garden there... :) The Monarchs will utilize it although it isn't their fave.

Hey Murray/Joe,

I'm with YOU! That !#$% A. fasicularis or the much-touted (at least in ORANGE COUNTY, CA) narrow-leaf Milkweed is just horrid. I swear, trying to grow the stuff and keep it alive and going as babyfood is ridiculous. Each year, I have maybe three plants that make it and none of them are very good for Monarch food. Truly. What kills me is all these folks are pushing for this particular Milkweed and no other here where I live ("You have to plant the 'native' Milkweed for the Monarchs" ya-da-ya-da) yet guess who is always calling ME to come and rescue their caterpillars? The folks who have all this so-called wonderful 'native' to Orange County Milkweed! Makes you wonder, doesn't it, how this 'native' plant actually survives! I wonder if perhaps it was more 'native' years ago but with all the climate changes and whatnot that it is no longer able to survive. I don't know. I do know that the A. curassavica (Tropical) IS a survivor where I live and is one that the Monarchs will utilize, quite happily, too.

My narrow leaf is just now coming up from the roots and gets about 3 ft tall every year. I water it occasionally and dig roots to give away but otherwise ignore it. That is where the monarchs lay eggs the most. But I like having a variety of milkweeds. Curivassiva here will die in ground during the winter. The tough one is Swan, (aka family jewels)

Penny

I have just been working on more area for milkweed and will be planting my favorite which is the "family jewels" or physocarpa variety. But a month ago I took out a huge Rose of Sharon because it got much too large for the location and was constantly needing to be pruned so passersby could walk past my house. I noticed this week that a whole bunch of milkweed plants are coming up in the spot without any help from me. So I added some more just for good measure. I wasn't thinking of planting milkweed there but it was apparently decided for me.

I am confused - normal for me, tho! What is the diffence between calatropis, gomphocarpus, and physocarpa?

I have one I got from Marilyn (Wild Things) that is marked calatropis. Should I not be watering it as much, CalSherry? I just planted it a week ago and while it hasn't been so hot yet, we have had horrid winds that dry things out quickly! 30-35 MPH winds will take its toll on many potted plants and newly planted things, too!

Susan

Calotropis gigantea is more like a succulent if you look at the leaves. The leaves have that sort of thick, dense look and feel to them like a cactus leaf has and is a bit on the fuzzy side. If you 'break' the leaf it has that same milky sap/latex that your 'everyday' Milkweed has. I found that when my Monarch cats ate the C. gigantea that there was very little mess to clean up! They would eat the entire thing right up and nothing was left to waste.

The A. physocarpa is the 'Family Jewels' or 'Goose Plant' or 'Balloon Plant' is in the actual Asclepias family (thus the A. physocarpa). This one actually has flower blossoms that look like your typical Milkweed but the seedpods are these balloon-like things that are also sort of hairy looking, or, not to be too graphically obscene, like male genitalia, hence the name 'Family Jewels.'

From all that I've read, the Gomphocarpus and A. physocarpus are synonymous. I'm no expert though...this is just from what I've read. ;P

Please ladies, please! Seriously though I am glad that I never tried the gigantea. But I really do like the physocarpa the best because I like its size and density and the fact that it seems to make it through the winters here the best. But my other favorite is the curassavica because it reseeds so well and between these two I always have plenty coming up every year.

I must say though that I have noticed that although I haven't gotten any seeds from the narrow leaf variety it is coming up in new places presumably from the roots. Either it is the narrow leaf or a combination of that one and the showy because the leaves are definitely narrow but are fuzzy and sort of silvery gray. But the butterflies seem to prefer the first two I mentioned in my yard anyway. Murray

Good, Murrah! I have the physocarpa and hope I get seeds from it because I don't believe it's hardy here (like curassavica is not either). However, due to our mild winter, I have seedlings popping up everywhere in the ground and in pots! LOL!

Susan

Greetings all!
Thanks napapen, for starting this thread! I want to order a boatload of m-weed seed this fall, so it's nice to know which ones can cause you grief!!LOL!!
I wanted to save seed from the ones that do make it up here, but was wondering if they will be true? So far my list has 24 different kinds(probably won't get all!!). Are there any that will cross-pollinate?
-B

I have continued to water and care for the seeds which did not produce and yesterday noticed two are germinating. I get tons of seedpods on my narrowleaf milkweed but last year I kept them cut off trying to see if the milkweed would last longer. It did not. It is however the only one the monarchs lay their eggs on. I also started combining different milkweeds so I have narrowleaf coming up now around "Family Jewels" And a pot of jewels and Curvassiva together. Family Jewels is probably my favorite as it winters so well. In fact I have a ton of seed in a bottle.

Penny

Same here, Penny. Susan, you should get more than enough seeds and pods. And I really like the different kinds coming up together. The only one that I have a lot of but which also has never flowered in all the years I have it is a type of showy milkweed which gets 4 or 5 feet tall but is all spent by the fall migration which is the best time for monarchs for me. A couple of years ago I found another variety of the same plant but it flowers and has large and very fragrant flowers at that but it is also usually on its way out by fall. Sooo, my favorites remain physocarpa and curassavica.

By the way, on Annie's Annuals website she posted a variety I had not heard of but which looked very nice and was called A. cancellata, I believe. But I didn't find it at her nursery during the spring sale. Has anyone ever heard of it? Murray

One milkweed that I don't recommend unless you just have to have this particular species, is A. verticillata. The foliage is thread-like and not substantial enough, unless you have 1 acre to plant it in.

The one I really want is A. purpurescens. I tried to winter sow it, but nothing came up, so I'd rather buy the plants. It's a bit too late this year because most of the milkweeds are sold out at my favorite online nurseries, and not everyone carries it.

I've not heard of A. cancellata, but am curious enough I'll google it and see what's up.

Susan

A. cancellata AKA cape milkweed has cream and lavender flowers,large seed pods and native to South Africa. It grows about 2-3 feet tall. It's on my wish list, but don't know how well it'll do in zone 5, Maybe have to keep it in pots??
-B

I was wondering... does it matter which side the seed is resting on the soil?

No the root will come out and go down. I have a group sprouting now and I kept it covered with damp newsprint for about a month. Penny

I am looking for All the Milkweed species. If anyone has some please e-mail me. I am interested int h e Family Jewles and all the others.

Danny,
I have lots of swamp, common, and a mix of orange and hello yellow. I also have a few virdis. Email me if there's any you'd like, I will send you some for a SASBE.
-B

My A. physocarpa almost reaches to the roof of my house. I have 5 plants (look like trees now) Anyone want seeds just pop me an email through my profile page. The hummers use the fluff to build nests.
{{gwi:464821}}

Edna

Wow! Those are huge plants! I sent you an e-mail.

I am still looking for Milkweeds. Even if anyone has just like five seeds of a species I want I will gladely accept them. I am looking for all Milkweeds. Thank-you

Now that it is March and temps are consistently in the 40-50 degree area, I am thinking I should broadcast the milkweed seeds I have been storing in my fridge. Can anyone tell me if this is a good time to start them? I want t give them the best chance and have never planted milkweed before-

Well, which milkweed species are you planting?

What a fantastic picture. I love that milkweed(?). Will it grow on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Gompocarpa will grow on the Gulf Coast. In fact, it will probably make it through your winters if you don't have hard freezes. It's actually a tropical plant.

Sandy

Hi guys,

I am in need of help. I am new at planting seeds and have no knowledge what so ever on how to start. I would like to plant seeds of the CALOTROPIS GIGANTEA aka CROWN FLOWER. Can some one possibly help me and guide me on what I need to do? If germination is the first process for rooting, what do I need?

Any ones help is GREATLY appreciated!
jasmine

Soak the seed overnight and put them in pots. Mine came up immediately.

Hey Edna

Did you get my e-mail? I realized after I sent it that your post was from January and that you may already be out of FJ seeds. I tried sending a second e-mail, but it failed. Just let me know! Thanks!

Nancy