Earlier this year I got this milkweed from Annie's Annuals. I was given some monarch cats to raise and have given them a variety of leaves. They love this best. I am trying to slip the plant but I would like to buy seeds. Anyone know where I might get some
Like you mentioned, Annie's Annuals. I think Butterfly Encounters still sells it. Might be able to find someone to send you seeds on Dave's Garden website.
Monarchs are generally attracted to milkweed foliage of any species, particularly if it is new growth. Do you grow any of the California native milkweeds?
I'll check Dave's garden. I have several native California milkweeds but they are all going dormant right now. I have others tho that are 3-4 others that are still hanging in. I want these babies to get all the right foods so they make it. Monarchs have been very scarce in my area.
You might consider whether there are any of the milkweed vines native to your area. I use them to feed the caterpillars I bring inside. Mostly because I have a (Asclepias) collection, and rather they chew up the vines than the plants.
Two common North American milkweed vine genus(s) are Matelea and Cynanchum. I have lots of seed for (Cynanchum laeve) if you want any. Very easy to grow.
I just finished looking at the USDA site and I would love to try the seed from Cynanchum. I could send you the blue flowered tweedia which is a milkweed also with blue flowers. It is rather hard to get from seed so would send many. Need chill I will send a private email.
I looked up Cynanchum in California. It looks like there is (Cynanchum utahense or Funastrum utahense) is native to the southern counties / Mojave desert. It has yellow flowers apparently.
I totally forgot about vines of the Funastrum genus, sometimes called Sarcostemma genus. They are mostly in the deserts. Two are (Funastrum cynanchoides) and (Funastrum hirtellum).
I also found that (Matelea parvifolia) is native to the southern counties.
I've found that milkweed vines are not usually sold commercially or the seed for them. Sometimes native plants growers will offer them. Thats how I found seed for (Matelea decipiens) and live vines for (Matelea carolinensis). Unfortunately both of the vines of (Matelea decipiens) I grew this year got eaten bare by a Monarch caterpillar, one did not recover.
> I will send a private email. Sounds good, I will watch for it.
I "inherited" Cynanchum laeve from my garbage men a few years ago LOL! Now it volunteers everywhere.
In my zone, the Monarchs do not use it with one exception,. If I am out of all other milkweed they will use it as a last resort. It contains a very low amount of the cardiac glycosides that other milkweed species contain. The highest are A. curassavica (Tropical) and the one commonly called Family Jewels.
Hi Penny, this is the first year in three that I have had a lot of monarch visitors but have not found any cats though I have seen some of the characteristic "munching" on some of the leaves. I have hundreds of physocarpa plants coming up everywhere so there could be lots of cats out there without my seeing any especially with my vision problems. If I can find a way to Annie's I will get some A. cancellata because I have been wanting some for the past couple of years. The few times I was at Annie's she didn't have any in stock.
BYW, my 'Davis' plants finally produced about 7 pods this season. I just brought them inside yesterday.
During the rain the other day I found a PVS cat about two weeks or so old but it didn't look too well so I decided not to bring it inside with all the AST cats that were just going into chrysalis.
I have about 8 growing actively however it is still cold here and many have not come up. I hope to start a couple of new ones that I got from Butterfly Encounters who is maybe 50-60 miles from me. Penny
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