Otherwise, you can bring in a couple plants and take cuttings to increase your supply: I planted a Tropical Milkweed in full sun (zone 7b, North Georgia). Soon after transplanting, we both saw aphid armies all over the plants. they might have some ideas for you…. Hi Ron, the seeds should still be viable. Susan, The Dutchman pipeline is host plant to the polydamas swallowtail the passionvine hosts zebra longwings and Gulf Fritillaries to name a few. good luck! after reading this article I was going to go out and purchase some for my garden. They are still green and no signs of distress. 3 Big Advantages of Winter Sown Milkweed + Winter Sowing Container ideas. I also believe in discussing viable solutions instead of dwelling on worst-case scenarios based on unsubstantiated theory…which is what being an alarmist is all about. Hi Tony, I’ve got tropical milkweed growing from cuttings last fall. Thank you. Hi Sarah, if you want mature tropical milkweed at the beginning of next spring, I would suggest fall cuttings. But when the card… I was amazed at how quickly the aphids disappeared. Hi Arthur, they can seed a lot. A. curassavica previously belonged to the (former) Asclepiadaceae, before classification of the Apocynaceae was revised to subsume the Asclepiadaceae as the sub-family Asclepiadoideae (Endress and Bruyns, 2000).. The plants themselves grow to a mature height of about 18 to 36 inches tall. Hi ReBecca, if your tropical is getting full sun consider moving to partial sun. I’m in zone 5a and it hasn’t been an issue. But even so, it should die back to the ground if it was outside over winter…. Tropical milkweed seeds are never in short supply…, I ended up with several tropicals in 20″ pots, they are doing terrific! I’ll read the article asap and see if we can make it work for our gorgeous milkweed. It compiments the White Oleander and purple Mexican Petunias in my shrub beds so well. Should I plant near the Tropical? I’m not sure that starting perennial seeds indoors at this point is a good idea. I harvested some of my Tropical Milkweed seed pods too early (seeds are white). I’m about to tear out these two large plants. I’ve learned more about monarchs than one really needs to know. When the stalks get too tall, I cut them back to 12″, and make 3 cuttings from one stalk. Here’s the full list: How to Stop Aphids from taking over your Milkweed Plants. Do you think the plants will form seeds by the time I need to move them indoors? http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/01/plan-save-monarch-butterflies-backfires. What I did, however, is take the showy milkweed I dug up and re-planted it by a nearby creek. It typically grows as a subshrub to 2-3 tall on upright stems clad with pointed, opposite, lanceolate leaves (to 6 long). I have a Silky Gold Butterfly flower. I’ve sprayed with Neem oil extract to fight any insect or fungus attack, and it seems to have slowed the yellowing. With unique blooms and vivid colors, Asclepias will flower summer through fall. Also, if you don’t get the entire root when transplanting tuberosa this can stress the plant. Asclepias curassavica (tropical milkweed) is a favorite milkweed plant of both monarchs and butterflies. Like most Milkweeds, this variety features opposite leaves and produces orange-red flowers forming terminal and auxiliary clusters that are 2-4 in across. If the milkweed was their cue for leaving, they’d be leaving much later. There are potential issues with it for people who grow it in regions where it grows continuously like South Florida, Texas, and Southern California: I planted a lot of tropical milkweed in my garden in Naples last May. I am wondering when you usually do your cuttings of the milkweed. Zebra Longwing, Gulf Fritillary, Cloudless Sulphur. I’m just wondering how far down I should cut the canes? The Monarchs will be here any day. You can always stagger the cuttings so there is some milkweed in you garden in case of emergencies…good luck! http://i60.tinypic.com/14l0wao.jpg Do you know what it is and how can I fight it? Thank you. This year the plants are tall and look healthy, but they are not blooming at all. Good luck and let us know how it works out for you…, I ordered the flame vine from a nursery, it had a couple of blooms on it when it arrived, though they fell off. I’d take a few minutes to research the two to get more info. Hello Tony, thanks for your reply. Or maybe my thought process is off on these. You want to cut all plants back at some point to let fresh, OE-free foliage grow back…. I have tried spraying with liquid Seven, and one of the Bayer systemics, but both killed the cuttings as well as the aphids. Hi Lolly, since there are monarchs in your region year round, I would cut back when there is a lull in activity. Under these conditions, tropical milkweed produces higher cardenolide concentrations. Sane question for them. What environmental alarmists and what Tony calls native “purists” never explain is what they mean by native. Jesi, I actually have not heard of this, but it appears to be a variation of curassavica from what I can gather. I bought a Asciepias curassavica on a whim from Green Acres Nursery in Folsom, CA this summer. Tropical milkweed is fine in its own habitat. Here's what you should know for growing annually... Monarch Butterfly Garden- … However, you can also dip cuttings in rooting hormone powder and plant them in soil: I love this site Tony! They always leave in November, even though I do not have the native milkweed. Soon afterwards, new shoots emerge from the stubs. The soil is damp so I thing there is enough water. I bought an Aclepias Currassavica from a reputable nursery about 10 days ago. upon reading the effects on migration I am concerned I am doing a disservice to monarch species. To ensure their safety from predators I would like to take some clippings from the garden for the caterpillars, so they can live inside, until adulthood. As soon as I got home, I clipped off a few branches and put them inside my net. There is a spot light that comes on automaticslly after it goes dark is this something that can affect the germination. good luck! Hi Marcy, any milkweed (native or tropical) can harbor OE spores…pathogens are more likely to be found on continuous growing milkweed species that don’t die back. Hi Lori, we grow some tropical milkweed in containers annually and we use 10″ or 12″ containers. I have successfully raised many monarchs & see more eggs & caterpillars devouring the milkweed plants. I tried to change the ph of the soil to more acidic also. Can I cut them back to make them fuller by next month or two or is it too late to cut them back? If being an alarmist is actually paying attention to what nature is telling us, then I think it is better than ignoring the obvious signs. Summer/Fall Bloom. Your plants will take off in the summer heat so you should still have blooms and even seeds at the end of the season. For now, tropical milkweed will remain one of many (both native and non-native) milkweed varieties we grow in our garden. Panic in Pensacola Jeannie. Most of the time, they don’t stay on the milkweed to do this…. You could also take stem cuttings and place them in water…that keeps milkweed fresh for a much longer period and you will have an abundance to feed your indoor cats. I’ve had it for years and it’s done very well, even surviving a particularly harsh winter a couple of years ago that wiped out a lot of stuff here in Wisconsin. Hi Jesi, I”m not sure where you’re located, but I’ve never seen this growing tropical milkweed up north. Add compost if needed to increase soil quality. How to determine which butterflies are residents and which are migrating? The article links to helpful sites that can guide you to the correct selection. The soil in my potted milkweed plant never have a chance to dry out. I would like to plant tropical milkweed if you think that is a wise choice for zone 7B in Virginia. We have had a very wet spring, so perhaps moisture caused the yellowing leaves. Hello, I don’t suggest harvesting seeds until you see the seam splitting open. We grow both showy and tropical. Hi Arthur, if it’s a starter flame vine it may not flower its first season. if i take cuttings, should i remove the buds and leave the surrounding tiniest leaves? It’s the only species I can find at the nurseries here in Los Angeles, and when I planted 6 of them they were soon hosting dozens of caterpillars. Do gophers eat Blood Flower roots? Is something wrong with the plant? Brian. If left outside the predators always get to the eggs or cats. Asclepias curassavica photograph by Malcolm Manners. Mostly the top of the plant with flowers. Will the butterfly larvae still eat it even if it’s infested? They are wilting badly during the day but perk up in the later afternoon. Tropical grows fast when the temps are warm…growth will start slowing as the night time temps cool. In your hot climate, it will probably grow better in partial shade (I would try afternoon shade). This defies all logic and common sense, yet some believe these guidelines should be followed with question. I would like to grow Tropical Milkweed in the large pots I have on my patio, Do you think they will flourish in such an environment? Thank you! If so, what is the best way to care for them and the best place to plant them in the yard? Check out the process here: I purchased 3 curassavica. Here’s more info about the process: You will need to actually plant them in soil after they root or they will rot. The main concern is that although monarchs may LOVE this type of milkweed, they haven’t adapted to it. I know it’s a simple matter to nip off the pods before they ripen, just wondering if it is really a concern in my area. I’m in Houston, Texas. Hi Jeannie, if the infestation is out of control you can use insecticidal soap, but it must be thoroughly rinsed off before it can be safely used by monarchs. There are many more species in the Apocynaceae family that encourage Monarch reproductive growth. They both took off after wings hardened. I can’t have really large containers on the roof because of their weight. I inherited 3 caterpillars – I call them small medium and large. Also, we have viable tropical milkweed in our northern garden for weeks after the monarchs are gone. They will migrate, or not, as it suits them. May be more of an issue for you in 6b. Could it be too hot? Plants move around, they die out, they come back, they die out again. My concern is that I already have problems with aphids, I try and control them by wiping them off the plant, but they are still a problem and I am so fearful of wiping off Lady bug lions and Monarch and other butterfly eggs. Our plants are already blooming. Hi Rick, I’m not familiar with the continuous growth cycle in Houston. Hello! Therefore it is easy to distinguish between endemic and non. I know that they are a tender perennial in my area (zone 7a) and I was wanting to know at what temperatures does the cold start to kill them? So far the seedlings are going well under lights, they are just now putting on their first set of real leaves. My grandfather gave me some tropical milkweed seeds in a pot a few weeks ago, within a week they sprouted up, now 2 weeks later they are still only an inch tall and seem to stop growing. Thank you for all of the informative posts. I’m in south Jersey in zone 7b. In many nurseries, the most readily available species of milkweed happens is a popular but non-native one. Hi Andrew, you could also just direct sow in the garden after you cold stratify. I have a variety of milkweed plants in my Southern California garden. (i.e. I was given a these: (pic link) https://goo.gl/photos/pPs4dEsakC42wySg8 Will they do well in Phoenix, Az? Too many people are focused on the potential negatives of tropical milkweed when there are simple solutions for dealing with some of these problems like cutting back milkweed (to avoid overuse) for those in warm weather regions. Germinating Asclepias Tuberosa from seed is very easy. Hirtella They are just seedlings, but I am hoping they will fill in quickly here in zone 9b. Should I just put them in the fridge, plant them, or leave them at room temperature? The ONLY bugs I don’t like that are visiting me this year for the first time have been one or two wasps and that stupid black and red-striped beetle… I don’t care if they’re harmless; I’ve always hated beetles! I’m in Ventura Co., CA, where it was in the upper 90s through most of September & October, so very summerlike. Little bees and this year’s Monarch butterflies love them the most (the bees are adorable and completely non-aggressive), and I’ve found them to be VERY low-maintenance. That would probably be easier this time of year. Hi Bill, it’s all about supply and demand. Monarchs have their own minds. During the winter we have rainfall that sometimes get heavy and freeze warning as well. Right now, there are some remaining flowers, but seed pods are beginning to open all over. Cuttings should be made from healthy plants. My first large female arrived on Tuesday. I hope I got all of it so it doesn’t grow back. Asclepias curassavica grows easily from seeds, reaches two to three feet (60 to 90 cm) tall and spreads to about one-and-a-half to two feet (45 to 60 cm). It does not like to be over-watered. Hi Arthur, harvest them when they are cracked open, but before the fluff starts coming out, much easier to harvest then: I have a milkweed plant. Hi Ernest, you can avoid overuse of tropical milkweed plants by cutting back your plants a couple times a season and letting healthy new growth emerge. Those are Monarch Caterpillars Betty…they eat milkweed to transform into beautiful monarch butterflies! I gave some to a relative who planted them and they are doing great…blooming as usual. Are they fragrant ?? Some people here have become rabid about endemic species. If you want a sure thing, I’d stick with tithonia rotundifolia…. Hi Susan, what’s the botanical name for ‘stick vine’? Hope this helps: How to Stop Aphids from taking over your Milkweed. I had about 20 of these last year and raised a lot of cats to maturity and I don’t think there are many problems with this milkweed. It gets rid of the aphids and doesn’t hurt the plant. Please refer to this article. I was wondering if you by any chance have heard of the Carribean Milkweed (Asclepias nivea). Monarch Butterfly Garden- Bring Home the Butterflies, Butterfly Garden Ideas and Gardening Tips to Attract Monarchs, Swallowtails, Hummingbirds, and other Precious Pollinators, Asclepias curassavica: Tropical milkweed, Mexican milkweed, Scarlet milkweed, Bloodflower, Swallow-wort, Silkweed, This milkweed also attracts eastern tiger swallowtails, giant swallowtails, hummingbirds, painted ladies, pipevine swallowtails, queens, wasps, and more…(If you know other pollinators tropical milkweed attracts, please comment below. It has some new growth but looks awful. After the last frost and when the seedlings have grown tall enough to handle safely, transplant them. The plants reach three to four feet in height, has milky sap, hairless stems and foliage, leaves are opposite, flowers are crimson and orange, in clusters that are two to four inches across. Also, it sounds like you could be under-watering so give your seedlings a bit more to drink. Hi Robert, I tried growing some this season…I have two plants and one grew over 11 feet tall. It is native to South America, but has naturalized worldwide in many tropical and subtropical areas. One plant is just about to flower. I have seen a couple of black swallowtails on them, as well as miscellaneous small butterflies, but no Monarchs yet. Check out my post on how to stop aphids from taking over you milkweed. Isn’t this a natural occurrence? Hi Carolyn, tropical is easier to grow in Florida than other native varieties. .. Grow Bloodflower from fresh Asclepias curassavica flower seeds. What would you advise? My question is similar to the one above: is it too late on February 29th to cut them back? 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