I have 2011 milkweed - lots of it. you can have some if you want. Barbi

Well, my "Gay Butterflies" has been blooming for about a week now, and low and behold, it's light orange. I too also have the regular orange tuberosa. I can feel your pain, lol. I had purchased my seed from Swallowtail Garden Seeds. There are some soon-to-be-blooming stalks and the foliage looks a bit different. I'm hoping I'll see some red. If I'm fortunate enough to get red, I'd gladly save you some seed ;) But, that's a big if at this point. I had purchased A. incarnata "Soulmate", which is supposed to be a deep rose pink, yet it bloomed light pink. I also purchased "Red Swamp Milkweed" seed from Pinetree, supposed to be pink to purple (their picture shows a beautiful purple), and of course it bloomed (what else?) light pink. My A. syriaca just bloomed too, light pink! Now I really hate light pink!!!!!!!!!!!! I have loads of A. incarnata "Cinderella", which is what, light pink... It's frustrating indeed...

bdriver71, i know a bit about ecology so i can answer your question. Bad for butteflies Where Butterfly bush has been proven to be very weedy in moist mild climates such is Ireland and is beginning to be felt more in the PNW, and possibly along the midatlantic coast. For the rest of the country it is not likely a threat. Here is proof right here- http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weed_info/buddleja_davidii.htm Butterfly bush is a Class B Noxious Weed in Oregon, is one of the top twenty weeds in Great Britain, and is a serious problem in New Zealand. _________________ Why 1 ) Butterfly bush can be bad for butterflies by displacing the host plant. It forms dense thickets, especially along river banks and river gravel bars, which crowd out native vegetation and may alter soil nutrient concentrations. A dense growth of BB in waste areas can crowd out host plants. Nectar, while important, is not as vital as a larva host plant. If a host plant is out competed by a weedy butterfly bush, it then harms, not helps. 2) Some recent papers in botany journals (not conservation journals) shows that butterfly bush is a superior competitor for pollinators - thatÂs why we grow it right? In wild areas, seed set of native plants was severely reduced as they were out-competed for pollinators. Seed set is a measure of fitness, and lower seed set means serious problems for plants, because the seeds are the next generation. ___________ "Well I have not seen it" - probably not, in most of the country it seems not to be a problem. Deadheading would be all that is needed. But the just because you have or have not seen it means nothing, scientifically. Ever seen how weight-loss commercials all have people on them claiming "I lost 10 pounds in 6 seconds blah blah blah" Personal testimony is not a substitute for science. Its convincing but it holds no real weight (pardon the pun) and thatÂs why diet infomercials use that because its convincing and they can avoid real things like facts and science. Because yeh, they may have lost 10 pounds in 6 seconds, but is that typical? What if only 1 in 10 had weight loss? Pick 50 people and there are the 5 cases for your infomercial. My point is, firsthand accounts cannot be assumed to be an accurate portrayal. I know the person across the street has some invasives but I have not seen their offspring around my area. Does that mean they cant and therefore wont? Can that same rule be true? What if the house down the street was spawning the weed in the back alley. I havenÂt seen it. If I donÂt see it its not happening, yes? No. All that said, I think a deadheading is all that is needed, and I admit I have a bush myself. Its not a problem in my area. It only seems to be a problem in very moist, moderate climates like Ireland, new Zealand and the PNW. Outside of those areas and perhaps the midatlantic, i do not foresee a problem

Hi--So wonderful that you are starting a garden for the butterflies! You may get addicted and start putting in new beds and expanding existing ones. The A. incarnata depending on soil and moisture can get pretty tall 3-4 tall and may need up to 3 feet width. A. tuberosa generally stays about 2 feet and may expand 2 feet or so. I plant my gardens pretty tight so that the there is plenty of cover for the caterpillars and places for them to pupate. I just make sure I keep enriching the soil with a steady supply of compost and organic fertilizer. The butterfly weeds will provide a wonderful nectar source as well as food for the Monarch caterpillar, which tend to be voracious in their later stages. In order to be very attractive for butterflies, gardens need to have large drifts of nectar rich flowers, so that means having multiple plants all set next to each other. Have fun!