Hi Steve, you can try mulching and see if it comes back, but it’s a risk. The spread of non-native Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias currasivica), which is the most common commercially available species of milkweed, is having a negative impact on the population of Monarchs. Monarch’s plight. Balloon Milkweed. Newsletter for butterfly tips, sales, new products, coupons and more…! Everyone is curious about this interesting plant and have asked for seeds, which I will gladly share as it is a wonderful way to increase awareness of the. Native to South Africa, this plant is an invasive in tropical climates, but in my zone 6-7 area, winter cold keep it in check. If you leaf mulch the plants before winter they might come back. I was given a bouquet which included it a few weeks ago. I ran out of milkweed in Sept., 2015 and bought some which I think had been treated because I lost a lot of cats. All I really need is a couple of plants. Find More Balloon Plants Seeds on Etsy. I trim back my tropical milkweed annually since I am in central FL (9b) and it is a perennial which can end up carrying OE. Three Asclepias species have been introduced to the United States: tropical milkweed (A. curassavica), African milkweed (A. fruticosa), and swan or balloon plant (A. physocarpa). This is the first year I have ever seen them here and I have been raising Monarchs for 9 years now. Monarch Butterfly Garden- Bring Home the Butterflies, Butterfly Garden Ideas and Gardening Tips to Attract Monarchs, Swallowtails, Hummingbirds, and other Precious Pollinators, Gomphocarpus physocarpus: Asclepias physocarpa is the former botanical name, Goose plant, Giant swan plant, Hairy balls, Family jewels, Oscar, Cotton-bush, Balloon plant milkweed. I’ve had honey bee’s pollinate the blooms. Hi Jacqui, thanks for the UK info and the scandalous new nickname. Good luck with your plants! Had to go to the ER. I’d forgotten all about the hairy ball plant. Also, when is a good time to start the tropical seeds I gathered from last season’s plants? I really want to have a few of these plant this coming season. Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review. Hi Tony, I noticed this AM that I had at least 10 cats on my Scarlett MW and very few leaves left on my 5 plants so I rushed to the nursery and bought 2 more plants, but while there they showed me several physocarpa that look really good but I hesitated. The plants grew approx. Yes, the caterpillars prefer other Milkweed in my garden, but do eat the Giant as well. Happy gardening everyone! I received some seeds and grew about 8 plants in a large pot in southwestern Ohio—monarchs laid tons of eggs on them in August, and I had several hummingbirds nectaring often on the blooms in the early morning. Thanks Linda. Hi Sherri, don’t worry about physocarpa popping. Then…it came to me…”great balls of fire…that’s the hairy ball plant!”. Hi Wendy, I think most milkweed seeds can survive cold temps but there is typically much less seeding from warm weather varieties. Hi Fran, you’re on the borderline for hardiness. I would expect a high germination rate. And now, I am warning you, as well as any one that should read this, to do the same! Even though I flooded my eye with water for multiple times, several minutes each time, I still had to go to a Emergency Clinic, which put me thru another serious eye rinse process… they gave me some kind of pain killing eye drops when I first got there, which eased the burning & tricked me into believing that I was thru the worst of it, but, within a few hours, the horrific burning came back, & my eyes had become so sensitive to light that I sat in a dark room with dark sunglasses on & even the dimmest of lights felt like a dagger in my eye! About Me. I do have more appreciation for my eyesight, though, & I will be a lot more careful any time I handle Milkweed… and I warn everyone I share the plants with, to do the same! Balloon Milkweed Plants. I’ve been looking at floral wholesalers, but not having any luck finding any….Thanks!! Hummingbirds have been pollinating my Gomphocarpus physocarpus. I just bought this milkweed started from a cutting based on the description that it is one of the “most popular” with Monarchs. Hi Marilyn, G. Physocarpus (hairy balls) can be started from seed annually. I just saw this in a local nursery next to giant milkweed today. You are welcome Kerry! (Houston, Texas, zone 9a) It liked the weather & jumped in size, so I started taking cuttings. I would guess it would be fine to take cuttings to start new plants, but again, it’s hard to say without having all the details. It grows so big here in NZ that I call it a “testicle tree”. It made a small annual tree, of sorts, behind a back flower bed. moisture: Medium to DRY soil. I was able to find the hairy balls milkweed at a local native nursery last summer and it did really well in my garden. I live in Michigan and purchased several stems of this plant at a local market. Thank you, Mary. Did you know that to potential predators, Monarchs taste terrible? If you have noticed other pollinators on the goose plant, please leave a comment below. Balloon Milkweed. Hi Mary, I’ve overwintered a couple inside with pods and the seeds did mature…. Learn about Florida's milkweed species. Is this the normal lifespan—tree dies after “ballooning”? Wondered if I should pinch young seedlings to promote branching. If they did, it didn’t give you much of a head start. Update: the Gomphocarpus is inside now, and the seedpods are continuing to enlarge. Here are some facts about this amazing plant: Fast growing annual Milkweed, hardy in zones 8-10 Hello Chris… As Tony said in his response, you probably made contact with the milky substance from the plants. In fall, adding a 3- to 4-inch-deep layer of mulch helps insulate the soil. This is the first year I’ve planted the hairy balls variety and I love it. Any help is appreciated. butterflies lay their eggs on), and that is milkweed. If the plants were treated with pesticides, I would suggest cutting them back so that healthy new grow can emerge. and I live near you. Yes, wasps are the main pollinators for the Gomphocarpus species…. Full sun to part shade. None of the seed pods are open, and by the time I got home to research what type of milkweed seeds he gave me, it was to late to grab a stem cutting. I live in Maryland in Zone 7. Don’t remove them before, or they may not be viable. I dragged the potted plant indoors Thursday night for the freeze, and took cuttings from the big one in the vegetable garden to ripen the seeds indoors. Can anyone give any suggestions on what to do or what I am doing wrong? In pairs. You can also overwinter plants indoors: Hello! They’re also frequent visitors to our swamp and tropical milkweed plants. Just yesterday I noted a “weed”. The packet said 25 seeds but it looked like more than that. 1. Fast & … They probably won’t mature this season but you can overwinter them indoors and start with some plants next season. Do I now just remove plants from garden as I assume neither plant will come back next year. Keep the soil evenly moist until the seeds germinate in 10 - 20 days. I am in Naples, FL and have grown Giant Milkweed for 3 years and it survives and blooms all year. Eucalyptus deglupta, also Called Rainbow Eucalyptus, in Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, Fla. Today, visitors can meander through the lush grounds and admire botanicals like Cuban Petticoat Palm, Buddha Belly Bamboo, and Balloon Milkweed. Do the need light to germinate or should they be covered. I have been there, done that, & it isn’t a fun experience, let me tell you!! Hi Craig, click on the resource links at the bottom of the page. Food for thought…. Hi Paul, I’m not sure about the growth cycle in warm regions on the US. Now they seem to prefer the swamp MW flower clusters. I had over a dozen eggs laid on it! I had bought it 3 hours north of where I live. The little monarch caterpillars seem to like it. We are a zone 8 here so I’m hopeful! Or will they last a few years like temperate-climate varieties? The only drawback from Annie’s, is that they have to spray them before shipping & you must keep them away from butterflies, caterpillars… any pollinators, for a minimum of 3 months. I’ve started using toilet paper instead of paper towels to germinate seeds on, because I have had tomatoes seeds send roots into the paper towel and be impossible to get them loose w/o breaking most of them off (I threw those seeds away and started another packet.) Hi CorryAnne, they are only cold hardy to zone 8, but are fast growing annuals…, Thanks for your reply Tony! Hi Toni, I wrote an article about this issue a year ago, and no new info has come to light since I wrote it. Hi Jessica, if you want bushier growth, I would pinch back the top leaves, I just found the packet of G. physocarpus seeds that I bought a year ago and I planted them. We do have a lot of those red and black bugs on the trees—maybe they killed the trees? SE PA USA. I use buckets, flower pots, even trash cans to cover plants, & I always remove the covers after the freeze threat passes!) It is a native milkweed of South Africa and in 2001 its name w… We have been watering plenty—so I don’t think we killed them by under watering. Nice fine DeeDee! I’ll have to plant them tomorrow. Good intentions may be harming our monarchs. z: 3 to 9, Found in hill prairies to open woodlands, from Canada to Florida, east of the Rocky Mountians. Hi Susan, if you’re in a northern region, your plants will not seed this season. However, it grows throughout the United States, so be sure to specify Florida native ecotype from a Florida grower. what a nice surprise…good luck with your seeds Laurie! My question is: I am rooting in water a bunch of the stems I cut to use. If so what would you recommend in terms of that since it’s woody would you still trim it back to about 6-8″ tall? But I was able to cut the stems and have had them in water inside and now the pods are finally opening. I’m in Zone 9B- nursery plant grew well over 6 feet- allowed pods to disperse seeds and also harvested seeds for 2018 season. They are also turning that reddish color like in the picture at the top of the page, and some of them are starting to feel “papery”. I frequent it often for the useful info on plants and butterflies. I like slow release because you don’t have to keep applying it: I stumbled across this article whilst researching weeds that grow on my property in northern New South Wales, Australia. Any suggestions where I might be able to find them stateside? (Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow') Instead of the common orange, shades of yellow and gold will brighten your garden and attract many different Butterflies and even Hummingbirds!Blooms for weeks in early summer. A friend of mine just cleaned out his garden and told me that he was going to give me some milkweed seeds. I have balloon plants reseeding all over a large lot in Oakland, CA and am giving away the seedlings. Tony Gomez says. The seedpods have opened, & now that I’ve ID’d it, I’ll be saving the seed to grow along with my other milkweeds next year. There are several other types of milkweeds but this is a somewhat unique milkweed and is one of the more favored host plants of the Monarch butterflies. So far it’s working pretty well. Maybe someday I will run into you at Nelson’s Water Gardens or Zone 9 Tropicals! Phone: (803) 374-2591 contact@joyfulbutterfly.com, He has made everything beautiful in its time... Ecclesiastes 3:11, © 2014 Joyful Butterfly | Website Designed by, Purple Milkweed Seeds 20+ (Asclepias purpurascens) US Native Seeds, Please click here to see the complete growing conditions and details of Balloon Plant Milkweed plants in our full description under Gomphocarpus physocarpus seeds…, How to Cold Stratify Seeds for Your Butterfly Garden. Hi Bob, it sounds like your seeds are getting close! Plant seeds 1/8" deep and 36” apart, using 3 seeds per hole. Butterfly milkweed ( A. tuberosa) is the most available of the native species and is suitable for use in many parts of Florida. Plant Name: Balloon Plant Milkweed Plants. Very great information you have here as always. Balloon Plant, Gomphocarpus physocarpus, is a member of the milkweed family although not normally labeled an Asclepias species. Gomphocarpus cancellatus is becoming a more commonly grown species in my area. The seeds were a lot smaller than native milkweeds, so I didn’t want to pre-germinate them in wet toilet paper. Hi Martin, if you’re past you’re last avg frost date, you could try transplanting them into the garden. 3″-4″ and stayed that way for a few weeks, but, started dying off. Gomphocarpus (= Asclepias) physocarpus is a plant in the milkweed family (in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae of the Apocynaceae, formerly the Asclepiadaceae) often used as an ornamental for the striking yellowish, ball-like fruits. As for finding less eggs, those predators are relentless in August. Here are some ideas to stop aphids from taking over your milkweed plants: 10 Ways to Stop Aphids from Taking Over Milkweed. Most milkweed species have sap that is an eye irritant, so always wash your hands after handling. I’m trying to look for a natural way to fight them. Purchase Balloon Milkweed Plants or Seeds from Joyful Butterfly, 2. Also, I snapped some pictures of a golden digger wasp visiting the flowers in August. Great plants that attract monarchs, however be very careful when cutting or trimming. I want to comment on your concern about protecting the butterflies/caterpillars from the virus that Asclepias can carry. we planted these as 4 ft trees about 11 months ago—they are now about 5.5 feet tall. Noted for its curious balloon-like seed pods, Gomphocarpus physocarpus (Balloon Plant) is an upright perennial producing slender stems clad with lance-shaped, pale lime-green leaves. That’s good to hear. The butterflies loved it, looked great in floral arrangements and I had a lot of fun with the name. I started to pull it and then thought better. What size pot do you recommend? We grow them annually in zone 5. If the pods are purplish, you may be in luck and get some mature seeds, but if the pods are green the seeds will likely be white and not viable. For these reasons it is frequently stocked in nurseries around the state. this summer I have 3 small balls starting , but , 50 to 70 buds and flowers blooming…. Spicebush Swallowtails gathering nectar from the pink flowers of Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata variety pulchra). Our plants are grown specifically to be safe for butterflies/caterpillars. How long will it take for the pods to be ripe? I don’t think I ever saw any other kind of pollinators on them. Thank you for writing about this plant. Just bought from local farmers stand . The gomphocarpus and other exotic milkweeds do not have this effect. Thanks and MERRY CHRISTMAS!! The first pod (on the potted plant) just split today, with lots of shiny dark brown seeds inside. Are they gonna ripen any time soon? Hi Bob, year old seeds should still be fresh. They are not cold hardy to your zone so I’d be surprised if they came back, but gardening is full of mysteries and miracles so it’s definitely possible. You can sow yours directly in Florida…, 3 Big Advantages of Winter Sown Milkweed + Winter Sowing Container ideas. Luckily, the ripest ones are on a potted plant that I can bring in, but I was hoping to cut it way back for the winter so it will fit in the house . I pulled out all our plants today but did make a table centerpiece with a few of the stalks to get more seeds in the next couple weeks. Recently, I’ve also noticed monarchs and hummingbirds sipping nectar from it. I love in illinois and I’m hoping to save the seeds to plant next year. Until one particularly large swamp milkweed plant started producing flower buds, these were the plants where we found the most eggs. Has anyone else ever had this experience? Fertilizer in the pot? It is very important to cut the plants down so that they can restart & be fresh, but you don’t have to wait until the spring! I didn’t buy it again this year as it is not available locally. When you notice a seam starting to open on the pod the seeds are ready to remove. Do you have any suggestions. Thanks for any help. (I have been covering my plant during the “freezes” so that it will be ready for spring migration!). I didn’t plant any this summer but have a nice patch of them growing again this summer in the same place they grew last year. I have got a balloon milkweed, but I don’t know what the benefits of this plant are and what it’s used for? Easy, drought-tolerant and trouble free. If it happens again, I would wear gloves when handling the plants. I am in zone 9B or 10A, depends on what chart you look at. I’ll try trimming it and see what comes back. Thanks for the tip on pruning late spring for a bushier plant as I did have to tie it up a couple of times! Yesterday I was given one of the balls with seeds. This milkweed species is a rare find in nurseries, so seeds are probably your only option in most regions. And I can’t figure out why. I think, if I do this next fall, I will use a heat pad! What I’ve learned about this is that, native milkweed makes the caterpillars toxic to birds. Ok to use tap water? Yes, this is also a continuous growing species that should be cut back periodically to prevent the spread of OE and other pathogens…, The balls on a couple of my balloon plants have been full-sized for well over a month. Their customer service is great, and they have a good selection of Milkweed,too! (kinda looks like it in your “open sesame” picture). Does that mean I can use for eggs and cats next summer? If pesticides weren’t used, you could always try raising a few indoors on stem cuttings after thoroughly rinsing the milkweed…good luck! We have gotten a majority of our eggs on common this year too. Hi! Otherwise, you could overwinter indoors or start seeds indoors next spring. I’ve grown tropical milkweed for 6 years now, and have nothing but good things to say about how it has attracted and supported monarchs in our home and garden…there are also simple solutions to the potential problems associated with this species: Is Tropical Milkweed Killing Monarch Butterflies? How do I avoid the fluff blowing all around in my condo if they pop? I went from, at one point, having 11 to now having 4. Hi Matt, I would start them about 2 months before direct planting. Water regularly allowing the soil to go nearly dry between each watering. Hi Elaina, your best bet is probably finding a local nursery that sells butterfly plants…good luck! Brenda Naylor I bought 8 of the balloon plants at a nursery were I live in central Florida.Iknew nothing about them accept they were milkweed for monarch then I saw the balls come out and went on the site.Will Ineed to start seeds in doors? It produces clusters of 1/2" wide cream to white star shaped flowers with a purplish 'eye' and the flowers attract butterflies along … I have had about a half dozen clippings, & I have only managed to get 1 more to root. The Balloon Milkweed (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) is an unusual perennial for Florida butterfly gardens. Right now in Lake Forest, California Green Thumb International has these plants in one gallon sizes with balls and all! Seeds and plants are available thru my Amazon affiliate product banners. We also bought 2 of the Tropical Milkweed and the butterlies are ignoring those. I live in Florida. This particular specie has showy flowers, is easy to grow, and has spread to natural areas and open pastures in Florida. Ours have thrived when planted directly, but not so much in containers. Two questions: When should I look for eggs since the plants go strong year-round? interesting theory Jackye…I have never heard this before. Any advice is much appreciated. Hi Tony Asclepia’s are very good at deterring moles. Hi Mary, we don’t get many eggs on physocarpus, but have found more on G. fruticosus. The seedlings are 4″ tall. ** Typically blooms 3rd year I’ve seen a Monarch caterpillar eating leaves and black wasps pollinating. You might want to talk to someone in your region who grows this or a local nursery to get some “Florida” insight. I’m also adding showy,whorled, and common milkweed to the butterfly, tropical, and swamp milkweed I already have. Hi Anna, I’ll let Shirley answer too if you are looking for a local resource but there are also links to purchase online if you check out my milkweed resources page: 18+ Milkweed Ideas for your Butterfly Garden. Several more should be opening any day now. I am so looking forward to seeing how this interesting Milkweed is going to do! You could always try and get some seeds as back up. You’ll have an interesting centerpiece and the seeds should ripen to maturity. All of the stems are still green and alive months later, but no leaves. If it’s not, you would need to overwinter the plants indoors or start seeds indoors early next spring. Yup…they are indeed hairy balls. We do have lots of common milkweed, and that’s where almost all the eggs have been so far. Who sells balloon plant seeds? Hi Tony I have been given some of the seedlings and hope they do ok over here in the UK . My last seed pod finally finished developing. I was wondering if these can be dried and used in dry flower arrangements. Just wondering about setting a few out in the flower beds since its a hot day. I’ve been using cuttings for raising caterpillars indoors, but I haven’t been finding eggs and caterpillars on the plants in the garden, except for one caterpillar. Hi Adam, I have never seen or heard of gomphocarpus species hybridizing with asclepias species…for that matter, I have yet to even see asclepias hybrids, and we have 17 species of milkweed in our garden. I am in Zone 7b – Burlington, NC. There have been instances where people have had to go to the emergency room so I would suggest seeing a doctor if your eyes are still bothering you. I have over 20 of them growing in my yard. you probably have an idea as to which one. Of these, tropical milkweed (also called blood flower or scarlet milkweed) is the most widely available from commercial sources. Some time ago, you mentioned you were going to try propagating Oscar from leaf cuttings. It likes full sun to partial shade and average water. Hi Mike, milkweed sap from all species can cause serious problems if rubbed in your eyes, so always wash hands after handling. My ground is very sandy and usually pretty dry! hi Debra, I’ve brought in stalks with pods to develop the seeds more and can confirm they would make a great flower arrangement. I have ordered 4 different ones… Davis, Virginia Silk, Wild Cotton, Family Jewels & Thin Leaf Milkweed. Hi Wendy, check out this post for overwintering info: Hey there.. I’m outside of Vancouver, Canada. $ 7.95. We even have some tropical milkweed that reseeds in Minnesota. That’s also why I’m planting the G. Physocarpus; it should be able to grow faster than they can eat it — first year A. syriaca might not be able to stay ahead of them. Will this plant grow here as a perennial? I thought I’d give it awhile and see what would happen. Both plants are doing well in dry garden conditions, but I have not had any monarch caterpillars on them so far. Thanks. I germinated from seed last summer and they grew several feet but never flowered. I’m curious if any will survive the winter, but either way I’ll start seeds indoors again in the spring. I’ve planted balloons in a pot and hope they will do well, growing through the Utah winter. Hi Sharon, I would find another gardener/nursery with first hand growing experience in your region to see what has worked well for them. Most all of them are 6+ feet tall and filled with large maturing seed pods. Hi Linda, please check out the zone info on the page to see if it is winter hardy in your region. As I am wanting to purchase other kinds of milkweed, could you tell me from where you buy yours? Typically G. physocarpus is one of the fast species to germinate, starting in under a week. Do I need to do the same with Oscar’s? Thanks Tony for sending this link to me through The Beautiful Monarch! I have used probably 500 ladybugs and about 100 lacewings and they hardly dented the problem. A few stems with leaves in a mole hole will have them scampering away – possibly to the neighbors garden. By the way – they call G. physocarpus Bishop’s Balls in the UK and you can buy seeds and plants there. Attracted so many Monarch butterfly’ caterpillars- hatched 25 even during Hurricane Irma and let them fly. Fast growers. Or would I have to bring it in to overwinter? Gomphocarpus physocarpus:Asclepias physocarpa is the former botanical name, Goose plant, Giant swan plant, Hairy balls, Family jewels, Oscar, Cotton-bush, Balloon plant milkweed. The only thing I saw enjoying the nectar was a lot of ants! I am interested in learning more about it’s suitability as a larval host plant for monarchs. Good luck with your plants! A Milkweed family member, another common name is Balloon Plant. Where to find the milkweed and how to grow the milkweed plants. Not much rain water in Texas right now. 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