I tried three of these milkweeds several years ago. I planted them in a raised bed in a spot in my garden where they got part sun/part shade. All three died - I don't know what I did wrong, but I haven't tried again.
Sherry

I have raised a bunch of these this year from seed. I also purchased one from Seneca Hills, in case my seedlings didn't make it. Research tells me that you need to plant it in lean sandy soil, possibly with gravel added. It can handle sun, sun/shade according to what I've read. I hope I don't lose my one I got from Seneca Hills. So far it has done well in the pot. I will have to create a spot for the plant, but I have rock around my garden so I'll see if I can create the right place next to the rock wall.

I bought mine from Seneca Hills too. The seeds I traded for didn't germinate at all, not one! Mine from Seneca Hills was dormant but is now starting to grow. I'll plant it out this weekend and hope for the best. I'm planting it by a Limelight Hydrangea. I think it will look good with it...at least I hope!

butterflymomok, Where did you get the seeds? I have tons of other butterfly weeds seeds I could trade for a few if you have any left. I have searched high and low and can't find a source for seeds. One place said they would have them in the fall, but 3 seeds will be about 2 dollars! LOL!

I got them from a kind person who sent me all he had. He told me that last year was very dry and was not a good year for collecting seeds from the A variegata. I soaked them over night and then cold stratified them on a coffee filter. Not very many of them germinated, but I did get a few.

I hope to have some seed of my own this year. Watch on this forum for the post. The person I got my seeds from posted on the BF forum, not this year, but last year. He said he would post again if he has seed to share. I will definitely pass it forward if my plants flower.

Echinaceamaniac, I feel badly that none of your A variegata seeds sprouted! :( I sent you those in our trade, and believe I got them from the same source as Butterflymom in 2007. However, he sent several pods and it's possible that a whole pod could have poor viability. I sowed 1 container last year in January and only got 1 sprout. This year, I sowed 3 containers, in late winter, and no sprouts yet, but we'll see. Not worried yet because most of the other Asclepias hasn't sprouted either - just 1 A. purpurascens seed so far. If the A variegata get decent germ this year, I will send you more seeds from a different pod to try.

I am interested in growing this particular asclepias too and I would appreciate a few extra seeds if any are collected this fall, too. (I will be happy to send other wild flower/native seeds or stamps, etc.)

It does seem to be a tricky one to get started, so if anyone can post a good link for instructions, I would really appreciate it. I did look at the Seneca Hills webpage for some background, too.

Thanks.

Fairfieldcircle,

My plant that I got from Seneca Hills seems to be thriving. It was a very healthy plant, nice size. When I planted it, I added gravel to the soil after reading it grows in gravelly, rocky soil. The original plant seemed to die. Then a new one started coming up from the roots. My seedlings did not make it.

Sandy

(Asclepias variegata) is NOT a full sun plant. It may be that the idea came from established plants the canopy had been opened up, and those were observed growing just fine. The plants are usually in wooded areas but often found in deep woods were there is even less direct sunlight. The wooded areas here in Ohio where it grows lets in plenty of indirect sunlight. ~ I suppose it might be possible to germinate and grow this species in direct sunlight, but the odds will be greatly stacked against you.

Thanks for the tips on how to grow this special MW.

gardenspider, can you tell me where it grows in Ohio?