skip to main content

The Seed Exchange

Need: Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias Curassavica)

13 years ago

My husband just read me an article about Tropical Milkweed from PopSci Magazine that said a pregnant monarch that is infected with a parasite (O.E) prefers to lay it's eggs on Tropical Milkweed for the monarch cats to eat. Something is in Tropical Milkweed that kills off the parasites transferred from Mom monarch to caterpillar.

Wants: Extra amounts of Tropical Milkweed and Antigonon Leptopus

This is my list of haves:

Veggies & Annuals

Hokkaido Black Watermelon

Hale's Best Cantaloupe

Cape Daisy, Orange

Celosia, Red Velvet

Cleome, Rose Queen

California Poppy, Rose Chiffon Thai Silk

Peony Poppy, Pink

Strawflower, Tall Mixed

Zinnia, Purity

Zinnia, Pink and Purple Mix

Ammi Majus

Perennial/Biennials

Dame's Rocket, Violet

Echinacea, Pallida (have extras)

Echinacea, Paradoxa (have extras)

Hollyhock, Soft Pink (have extras)

Milkweed, Ice Ballet (have extras)

Shasta Daisy, Alaska (have extras)

Bubble envelopes only please.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

carol23_gw
13 years ago
I have lots of Asclepias curassavica seed collected. Would love to trade for your Ammi majus
0
nel.nucifera
Original Author
13 years ago
sending you an email. :)
0
Related Discussions
WANTED: asclepias curassavica
Q
Comments (3)
You have some stuff I'm interested in. I'll shoot you an email tomorrow. I also just put a Mexican oregano plant and an Uruguayan firecracker plant in my front yard. If I can figure out how to mail them safely, I might be able to send you some cuttings.
...See More
?Hardy Asclepias Curassavica Seeds Available
Q
Comments (3)
I need to add that I can't guarantee that these seeds will produce plants that are extra cold hardy. The parent plant may have lived for some weird reason, like maybe it was planted at just the right depth, or something. Or maybe it's just in a position where it got shielded from the worst winds, who knows? And the seeds may not be just like the mother plant. Still, I'm going to plant them to see what happens - if I've found an extra cold hardy tropical MW, that would be a real find! Sherry
...See More
How often do I water tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)
Q
Comments (5)
Tara, I bring in potted Trop. mw to holdover in the garage in the fall. It is very common for them to sulk, for their leaves to start turning yellow, and drop most of its leaves. Bringing the plant indoors, I would assume that it may do the same. As it starts readjusting to the indoors and bright light, it may start growing more leaves again. I am curious as to it being a "borrowed" plant. Are you wintering it over for her, and plan to return it in the spring? Or, are you raising Monarch cats on it? I don't have the room, so have never attempted to bring Trop. mw into the house. Good luck, and keep us posted.
...See More
Asclepias Tuberosa vs Curassavica
Q
Comments (15)
I agree with everything dbarron says and would just add to it. These two plants have totally, completely, enormously, almost opposite needs and habits, except that they both want sun and plenty of it. Tuberosa is a long-lived perennial of the temperate zone IF it has well-drained soil. Over-watered or in poorly drained soil, it will suffer root-rot. You cannot keep it in a pot, it has to be planted out in your zone. Curassavica is a tropical species and will not overwinter for you except in a greenhouse or greenhouse-like conditions. It likes lots of water and it exhausts nutrients rapidly, so probably needs feeding to prosper. The eBayer who told you it was hardy to your zone was way off base. As to your original question, why is tuberosa small and falling over while curassavica is tall and erect, that's partly because of light (not enough for tuberosa) and mostly because of habit. Curassavica always grows straight up and erect, and it grows, as dbarron says, like a weed, maturing in its first year to flowering and fruiting (in fact, it does so half-way through its first year). Tuberosa is one of the slowest species of milkweed to mature, never flowering in its first year, often taking up to three years to reach maturity. But tuberosa, if you give it a good sunny spot with decent soil, will reward you for a lifetime, whereas curassavica will evaporate within a year or two.
...See More
Related Professionals
Sand Springs Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Bedford Heights Landscape Contractors · Edwardsville Landscape Contractors · Vancouver Landscape Contractors · Wailuku Landscape Contractors · West Coon Rapids Landscape Contractors · Plainfield Roofing & Gutters · Walnut Creek Roofing & Gutters · Hinsdale Roofing & Gutters · West University Place Roofing & Gutters · Atlanta Carpenters · Enterprise Carpenters · Alvin Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Atlantic City Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · North Aurora Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures
terrene
13 years ago
Nel, the Asclepias species (milkweed) contain cardenolides, cardiac glycosides that are sequestered by the Monarch larvae. This makes them toxic to mammals and birds (but not invertebrates).

Some species have more cardenolides than others. Asclepias curassavica has exceptionally high levels and there is some evidence that this also helps them resist the OE parasite. It is also one of the prettiest milkweeds, IMO!

I've got plenty of A. curassavica seeds, as well as other milkweeds, and many seeds for SASBE if you want to check my exchange list.
0
bossmareny6a
13 years ago
Hi, I have A. currasavica 'Silky Deep Red' collected 2 weeks ago and is dry & ready to go. I would love some Ammi majus, even if only a little. Mine grew to 5' this year and a single plant had six Monarch crhysalis' on it, two of which we hatched indoors for my 2yo son to enjoy. Supposedly hardy to z7; I bring mine in and it does fine dormant in a pot til Spring. It is one of my favorite plants, even without the bonus of the Monarchs! Unfortunately GW won't let me post a photo of the cultivar I have, but its easy enough to google 'Silky Deep Red' if you are interested.
0
nel.nucifera
Original Author
13 years ago
Have these left
Veggies & Annuals
Hokkaido Black Watermelon
Hale's Best Cantaloupe
Cape Daisy, Orange
Celosia, Red Velvet
Cleome, Rose Queen
California Poppy, Rose Chiffon Thai Silk
Peony Poppy, Pink
Strawflower, Tall Mixed
Zinnia, Purity
Zinnia, Pink and Purple Mix
Ammi Majus

Perennial/Biennials
Dame's Rocket, Violet
Echinacea, Pallida (have extras)
Echinacea, Paradoxa (have extras)
Hollyhock, Soft Pink (have extras)
Milkweed, Ice Ballet
Shasta Daisy, Alaska (have extras)

Bubble envelopes only please.
0
nel.nucifera
Original Author
13 years ago
sending you both an email.
0
roper2008
13 years ago
I love the tropical milkweed. I never get to save seeds
because the monarch cats eat most of the flowers. They
do seem to prefer it over my perennial milkweed.
0
caterwallin
13 years ago
I could send you or anyone else cuttings if you're interested. I know this is seed exchange but thought I'd mention it anyway just in case. I had LOTS of Tropical Milkweed!
Cathy
0

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Asclepias Incarnata for a Butterfly Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Beautiful swamp milkweed makes it easy to help monarchs and other pollinators in eastern U.S. gardens

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Milkweed

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Quit cringing. This not-weed plant is a sight to behold in the garden, has a delicious vanilla scent and is a magnet for butterflies

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Help Monarchs and Other Butterflies by Planting Common Milkweed

By Pollination Press LLC

Summer-blooming Asclepias syriaca is an important larval host plant for the monarch butterfly and attracts a number of pollinating insects

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Plants That Beat Butterfly Bush for the Wildlife Draw

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It's invasive, a nonnative and a poor insect magnet. Check out these better alternatives to butterfly bush in the garden

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Be a Butterfly Savior — Garden for the Monarchs

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Keep hope, beauty and kindness alive in the landscape by providing a refuge for these threatened enchanters

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Steps to Creating Your Butterfly Garden

By Debbie Ballentine

Encourage these fanciful winged beauties to visit your garden while helping restore their fragmented habitat

GARDENING GUIDES Attract Hummingbirds and Bees With These Beautiful Summer Flowers

By Annie Thornton

Roll out a welcome mat for pollinators to keep your landscape in balance and thriving

SUMMER GARDENING Houzz Call: Please Show Us Your Summer Garden!

By Annie Thornton

Share pictures of your home and yard this summer — we’d love to feature them in an upcoming story

FLOWERS 15 Native Flowers That Attract Butterflies

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

By picking plants from this list that are right for your location, you’ll get colorful blooms and support pretty pollinators

GARDENING GUIDES Warm Up Your Garden With Orange Flowers

By Annie Thornton

Hummingbirds and butterflies are not the only ones who will notice when you introduce a blaze of orange into your garden

Sponsored