Hi guys, I am in need of help. I am new at planting seeds and have no knowledge what so ever on how to start. I would like to plant seeds of the CALOTROPIS GIGANTEA aka CROWN FLOWER. Can some one possibly help me and guide me on what I need to do? If germination is the first process for rooting, what do I need? Any ones help is GREATLY appreciated! jasmine

They have to be dead for them to send them in and receive their money. Yes, they are paid $5 per tag, which for the poor locals, is a lot of money. As far as I know, they don't kill them, they collect the dead ones that litter the forest floor. The Monarchs are not flying around much in the forest. They only come down from the trees for a rare drink of water and then back up they go. I doubt if there is much "killing" going on. You can, however, check out Journey North, which posts the migration, both north and south. The migration is underway and latest reports reflect Monarchs are at the Red River, which borders northern Texas and southern Oklahoma. I live in central Oklahoma, so I can barely wait! Tagging is done gently and easily, and usually right when the butterfly ecloses. They rest until their wings are dry and they warm up enough to fly. This takes anywhere from 1 to several hours. The tiny little "dot" sticker tag is just gently applied to the outside of the upper wing. Even children are doing it at Monarch Waystations elementary schools. I plan to do it this summer myself. It's important information that Monarch Watch is gathering in regard to these migrating butterflies. It is a personal decision, but I don't mind helping out the hispanic population IN Mexico. BTW, Edna frequents the Butterfly Forum and I believe it was her that suggested I check out the Cottage Garden forum, too. Susan

BUTTERFLY: Danaidae Danaus plexippus USA (Monarch, milkweed butterfly, wanderer, black-veined brown) HOSTPLANTS: Apocynaceae (Dogbane) Apocynum androsaemifolium Cosmopolitan ([creeping, flytrap, spreading]dogbane; Indian hemp, bitter root) Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed) Araujia sericifera Nearctic (white bladderflower, cruel vine, cruel plant, bladder vine) Asclepias amplexicaulis USA ([blunt-leaved, bluntleaf, sand, clasping]milkweed) A. asperula USA (antelope-horns, [green-flowered, antelope horn, spider]milkweed) A. californica USA ([California, Sierra]milkweed) A. cancellata Nearctic (wild cotton) A. cordifolia USA ([purple, heartleaf]milkweed) A. curassavica USA {syn: A. nivea, A. bicolor} ([annual, scarlet, tropical, Caribbean]milkweed; bloodflower, butterfly-weed, silkweed, cotton bush, pleurisy root, red top, redhead, sunset flower, cancerillo, ipecacuanha, koningsbloem, Indian root) A. curtissii USA ([Curtiss's, sandhill, scrub]milkweed) A. eriocarpa USA ([Monarch, Indian, butterfly, woollypod, woolly]milkweed) A. erosa USA (desert milkweed) A. exaltata USA {syn: A. phytolaccoides} ([poke, poke-leaved, tall]milkweed) A. fascicularis USA {syn: A. mexicana} ([narrowleaf, narrow-leaved, Mexican whorled, Mexican]milkweed) A. hirtella USA ([tall green, prairie, green, Barrens]milkweed) A. humistrata USA ([sandhill, pinewoods, purple, scarlet]milkweed) A. incarnata USA ([swamp, rose]milkweed) A. lanceolata USA ([red, fewflower, smooth orange, pineland, lanceleaf, lanceolate, few-flowered]milkweed; purple silkweed) A. latifolia TX (broad-leaf milkweed) A. longifolia USA ([longleaf, Florida]milkweed) A. obovata USA ([pineland, green]milkweed) A. oenotheroides USA ([zizotes, Texas, longhorn]milkweed) A. perennis FL ([white swamp, aquatic]milkweed) A. physocarpa Cosmopolitan (goose plant, balloon plant, balloon cotton bush, balloon cotton, swan plant, pod milkweed) A. purpurascens USA (purple milkweed) A. rubra USA (red milkweed) A. speciosa USA (showy milkweed) A. subulata Cosmopolitan ([desert, rush]milkweed; candelilla) A. subverticillata Cosmopolitan {syn: A. galioides} ([Western whorled, horsetail, poison, bedstraw]milkweed; Navajo Name: Ch'il'abe's'óóz) A. sullivantii USA ([prairie, Sullivant's, smooth]milkweed) A. syriaca USA {syn: A. cornuti}(common milkweed, silkweed, wild cotton flower, wild cotton) A. tomentosa USA ([velvetleaf, hairy, tuba, sandhills, velvet]milkweed) A. tuberosa USA (butterfly[weed, plant, bush];[pleurisy, wind, white, Canada, orange, tuber, flux]root; chigger[plant, flower];[butterfly, Rolf's, orange, yellow]milkweed; Indian paintbrush, Indian-posy, swallowwart, orange swallowwort, Southern butterfly weed) A. variegata USA ([white, redring, green-flowered, variegated]milkweed) A. verticillata USA ([whorled-leaf, whorled, linear-leaved, whorled white, eastern whorled]milkweed) A. vestita USA ([woolly, Parish's woolly]milkweed) A. viridiflora USA {syn: A. obovata}([green comet, green, short green, green-flowered, wand]milkweed) A. viridis USA ([green, oblong-leaved, spider, green antelopehorn, green-flowered, antelope horn]milkweed) Calotropis gigantea Cosmopolitan (giant milkweed) C. procera Nearctic (calotropis, rubber bush, apple of Sodom, mudar, madar, king's crown, roostertree) Cynanchum angustifolium USA (Gulf Coast swallowwart, milkweed vine) C. laeve Nearctic {syn: Gonolobus laevis, C. sinaloense, Ampelamus albidus} ([sand, blue, honey]vine; [honeyvine, climbing]milkweed; angle pod, vine milkweed) Gomphocarpus fruticosus Nearctic {syn: Asclepias fruticosa, A. arborescens, G. fruticosus} (narrow leaf cotton bush, Irish ballon, swan plant, balloon-cotton, Cape-cotton, duck bush, bristle-fruited silkweed, balloon weed, white swan milkweed) Marsdenia Spp. Nearctic {example species, descriptions follow} (M. cundurango (Cotton root); M. zimapanica(Mex), large climbers, latex sap) Matelea reticulata USA ([pearl, net-vein, netted]milkvine; milkvine, pearl milkweed, green milkweed vine) Morrenia odorata FL ([strangler, milkweed]vine; tasi, Florida milkweed vine, latex plant) Sarcostemma clausum USA (white twinevine, white milkweed vine, viney milkweed, whitevine, narrow-leaf milkweed vine) S. crispum TX (wavy-leaf milkweed vine, wavyleaf twinevine, wavyleaf climbing milkweed, wavyleaf milkvine) Convolvulaceae (morning glory) Ipomoea Spp. Nearctic Malvaceae (Mallow) Gossypium arboreum Nearctic {available in TX}(cotton tree, tree cotton, devkapas) Rutaceae (Citrus) Citrus Spp. Nearctic Sapotaceae (Sapodilla) Manilkara grandiflora Nearctic ( ? possibly M. zapota)

I just purchased some seed from georgiavines.com. Supposedly germinates fast and is a fast grower. Also known as Gomphocarpus cancellatus. Can be cut down to the ground in order to mitigate the spread of Oe spores. I agree with docmom_gw that it's a good idea to plant natives VS exotic milkweeds, but the natives that grow out here along the West Coast grow somewhat slow and relatively small as compared to even those from the Midwest and Eastern areas. As such, I grow a mix of West Coast native and exotic milkweeds, making sure to prune back the exotics in winter. For those that have never bought plants from Annies Annuals & Perennials, she ships the best looking and healthiest plants, plus they are securely wrapped for shipping. ***** (5 stars).