Question on Milkweed

[LucyGoose]

How does one get it? I would like to grow a few for the butterfly's....is it too late? I know you always have them Patrushka, but never really know anything about them.....

Thanks!!

[kHT]

I'm confused LucyGoose and grabbed my book and milkweed isn't there. Can someone help my confusion??
How about some sunflowers or mallow instead?? We planted lots of nasturtium and have lots of butterflies, hummers and dragonflies. Sometime the lasts ones get to friendly and have to removed from the hair.

[Dee]

LG, I bought one from a local nursery earlier this spring. I'm not sure if it will come back though (it was really inexpensive so I was guessing it was an annual) - or is it supposed to just reseed itself?

kHT, milkweed is the common name for some varieties of asclepias. Or at least that's the way it is around here.

[wishiwere]

LG, they reseed every year. If you want, I'll bring some plants of it down to you to plant and harvest the seed pods this fall if you like? Or I can harvest them and send them to you. right now, they are blooming here. And the monarchs love them!

[Patrushka]

LG, DH pulled out the ones along the driveway and on the side of the house this year and only left the bunch next to the garden. Not to worry though, I just counted at least four small ones growing along the driveway or you could have big ones if you want. I can try potting up some for you and I could collect some seeds too (when they are ready) just in case. I was surprised at how fragrant it is. Ours just grew here. There was a lot of vacant property in it's natural state when we first moved here and I'm sure that's where it came from.

Karma, look under Asclepias syriaca. That's common milkweed.

[LucyGoose]

Thanks you guys! Yeah, go ahead and bring them to Chris's Jane. Pat, save me a couple seeds.......Out of the two Butterfly Weed plants I had, one died and the other is really small....don't know why.....aren't they a host plant of the butterfly too? That is when I thought of the Milkweed.....Wondering why I didn't have any....

Thanks!!!!!

[DryGulch]

There are quite a number of different ones. Even the white Ice ballet and the orange butterfly weed are part of the asclepia family. There is also a red milweed, swamp milkweed and the common milkweed. THe common is by far the hardest to obtain as it does not transplant well. The others are easily transplanted. I think they are all perennial, even the comon, coming back from the root.

The common is the Monarch butterfly magnet, and if you scatter enough seed they will come.

[kHT]

Thanks gang for the added information on this. Seriously I had to look this one up and read about it. Hey Goose, you need to find the A. fruiticosa one, common name is the Goose plant. Interesting read on this one.