Tom...could you post a photo? I'd love to see what your plant looks like. Are you in FL?

I didn't know it was so easy to copy a photo into this software. I was used to downloading them into photo bucket and then copying the URL and then pasting it into the message. With this one all one has to do is find the photo and copy it into the message. Very cool.

Tom, did you purchase this plant or start it by seed? Love the look and size of those leaves. Thank you for posting the photo.

folks, if you see a photo in one of the posts on the forum here, try clicking on it to see it enlarged. Details generally show up much better.

Mary

I bought it at a nursery nearby, called Biosphere. It was very small when I purchased it. It didn't cost much, Mary. Cuttings?

Tom, can it be rooted from cuttings? Do you have one to spare? I'm in 9 as well and would love one of these!

Kristi

We could try, Kristi. Send me your address via the email that's linked to my name. We are right at the limit for the time to root cuttings here. I think Mary is going to stop by my place on her way to visit her daughter in south Florida where this plant would grow from cuttings pretty much any time of year.

I just had a beautiful greenhouse built so I am ready to overwinter some milkweed!

Tom, Where exactly is biosphere? Do they ship? I have been looking for one of those for a long time. I'm in Palm Beach county, but it would be worth taking a road trip to get one.

I'm not sure they still have one. Give them a call. They are in Winter Garden, which is about five miles due west of Orlando. I haven't tried to take cuttings from this plant before. I will see if I can do that on Monday. I will let you guys know if they take. A large branch has fallen on the ground; I should be able to get some decent cuttings from it.

Thanks Tom.

I have tried so many times to grow this plant from seed. Never happens. :( my friend gave me a rooted cutting of it 2 years ago. The Monarchs in my area LOVED IT! (Northern Va) while i was away fro a few months *someone* let it die :(

Thanks for the email Tom. I didn't see a way to message you back! K

Monarch Love l will try some cuttings. If you remember in the spring send me a message and I will send you some rooted plants if they take. Mbz10b let me know if Biosphere has one. If so, I can get it for you and ship it to you. It's a long trip from where you are. Also, cuttings might work for you.

Also, if more than 2 of mine root....I can share the love!
:-)

Yes, that's a concern. I have seen a wasp eating a caterpillar on mine. You are right; there is little room to hide. Still, I have more than a few that have made it and are now butterflies. I was hoping that they wouldn't taste too good to the wasps. The ones that I transfer to this plant are large and they eat like crazy for a few days and then they get into their chrysalises. Some, however, don't make it and I suppose wasps are the major predators.

This opens things up to another discussion. What eats caterpillars in your garden? I have never seen birds eat monarch caterpillars. I wonder if lizards eat them. The birds and lizards (anoles) really love the caterpillars of black swallowtails. I know the wasps eat virtually any caterpillar. I have seen them eating Polydamas, Zebra Swallowtails and I know they eat Fritillaries and Monarchs. The ants and the wasps also eat the eggs of most butterflies.

I find it interesting that this plant grows in a humid region and a dry region equally well. Both plants look healthy and happy.

Speaking of predators, I've only seen one chrysalis actually eclose outside here without benefit of a protective rearing cage. There could have been more that survived but I've never come across them. Usually the little cats left outside in my garden quickly disappear.

Mary

I run the butterfly section at Flamingo Road Nursery in Davie FL and we have this milkweed. People love it

I grow it in Houston area, it dies to the ground ea winter but returns. Mine seems to always have 2 stalks over 6 ft tall but it doesn't "bush up". Have never seen seeds on it. In my garden it gets brutal afternoon sun and gets watered by sprinkler. I have seen this plant grow like a week in humid as well as arid parts of Latin America and Caribbean. It is like sea grapes, beautiful plant but ugly when overgrown or in thickets.

Cut it back at the top of any node and it will regrow and Bush better

Those look like ideal plants for sleeve-protection. Once you know there are eggs laid on the plant, cover one or all of the branches with a sleeve of tulle or other netting material that will keep the wasps out, but allow the butterflies to complete their development. Secure the open end tightly to prevent escape or entrance of predators. Since the branches seem to grow at an upward angle, the fras would collect near the bottom, making cleaning straightforward. Then your cats have a better chance of survival, but you aren't saddled with daily switching out of fresh leaves, etc. Then again, the wasps need to live, too.

Martha

My plant

Tom, your plant is fantastic! I'll have to consider getting one for myself. I'm planning to pot up my pentas in a few days to overwinter them - they can't live through even a light freeze. So, if a giant milkweed did really well here, I'd have to do the same with it.

My only concern is that the leaves are so big, you couldn't cut off a branch, like I do my A. curassavica, put it in a plastic container with water in it, and raise the caterpillars in a cage. Wasps just LOVE monarch cats, so I don't think they'd last too long here on the plants outside.

Sherry

The smaller branches would probably survive as cuttings in a very small pot long enough for the cats to eat them. The plant needs very little water to survive. I took three cuttings about a week ago and they have not changed shape at all. No drooping--just standing tall and erect. I'll let you guys know how the cuttings do. It's a little late in the year to take them, but maybe they will make it. It shouldn't freeze here for at least a month or so. Last year we only had two light frosts. I also took three cuttings from pink and magenta firespikes last week. I don't need more, but people seem to enjoy them as gifts.

Tom, are you using water or a potting mix to stick your cuttings?

Mary

Potting mix, Mary. I split a node with a razor blade, dip it in rooting compound, tap off the excess powder and then put it in a pot with potting soil. From there I leave them in the deep shade and try to sprinkle the top leaves at least every other day.

I am using tip cuttings from procera in an equal mix of sand perlite and potting soil in heavy indirect light.

Sometimes straight soil does not provide enough air for the roots

I haven't heard of sand perlite. You make it, or purchase it somewhere? You think mixing more perlite with the potting soil would help them root better and faster?

It sounds like the cuttings are doing great, Tom and I'll bet they will be just fine. You will never know unless you try. I don't do a lot of cuttings but the few I've tried this fall have all taken. It is the fun of gardening, trying new things or trying at different times of the year to learn what is possible.

From your original post, it sounds like this might be your first year to grow this particular milkweed. If so, I am wondering if it bloomed this season.

I was so looking forward to making my trip to Ft. Lauderdale and setting up my daughter's butterfly garden but my son's dog, Boo, whom I care for during the day while my son is at work, has become quite ill. He developed cancer and his tumor was successfully removed but the cancer has now spread to his lungs. So far, other than not being as active as normal, he is holding his own but the Dr. said he might only have a month or two. I cannot leave him now. I hug and kiss him more frequently, try to encourage him with healthy treats and work to make his days comfortable. The vet will advise when he's no longer comfortable but as long as he's not in pain, we feel he's happy with us. Hard, hard, hard, but something we all face if we choose to have pets in our life.

Mary

Mary, glad to hear that others make pets a priority. Give Boo a hug for me and the Gordon Setter that have my heart!

Krist

Sorry to hear that, Mary. You will know when he is no longer comfortable.

I try to be as good as possible to my little Jack Russell. She's a sweetheart, but now suffers terribly from separation anxiety. I try to take her with me as much as possible, but it isn't always possible and now I have to put her in a crate when I leave. She rips up things because of her anxiety if I don't.

Thank you, Krist and Tom, for your warm thoughts. I look forward to the day a cure will be found for this hated illness.

Mary

Tom, I am curious to know if your cuttings took? And may I ask, is your Calotropis procera growing in high or dappled shade or direct sunlight? I'm trying to learn more about this plant and do know it is not frost tolerant but can't find anything on the max temps it will tolerate.

Also wanted to mention the large tulle bags with drawstrings I purchased last year. They are a pale gray green color so don't stand out in the garden. If you'll message me your mailing address, I'd be happy to send you a couple to use to try and protect the Monarch cats on this plant. I think one bag is big enough to slip over a big leaf. You could pull the strings closed up at the leaf node to help keep out the predators. Maybe the wasps wouldn't get to the little cats as easily as they do now. These bags are washable and shake off rain easily. I have had one secured over a branch of the American Beautyberry to protect some berries from the Mockingbirds. It's been outside for several months now and still looks new. My pleasure to send them if you'd like to try them.

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas.

Mary

Mary, I took three cuttings and two of them took. I don't know what to do with them now. I don't need more of this plant. It is getting very large and is now flowering.

I have it in partial shade, but I think it would do well in full sun also. It doesn't seem like it needs much water and it really grows well.

I haven't heard of these tulle bags, but they sound like something that should work. I still have some monarchs, but much fewer now that we have finally have some cool weather.

Let me know if you want me to send you one or both of these plants. They now have some roots and should do alright shipping--if there isn't freezing weather.

Tom

Sorry, I did not get any notifications from this from when I had commented on the thread. It keeps going back and forth from cghpnd to monarch love.. UGH! Anywho, Tom, That would be so kind of you to send me some in the spring. Thats good news that they took for you! Its always fun to see what we can root.

Im sorry to read about your dog Mary :(

Hi Tom,

I, too, am in the Central Fl area and have had success rooting the giant milkweed. I have had so many monarchs over the winter so far that they have eaten me out of house and home. The only problem I am having with the giant milkweed planted in pots is that it doesn't always come back after being eaten. I'm trying to start some new cuttings for spring but if you are still interested in giving away one of your seedlings, I would surely love to have it!

Thank you!

I purchased C. procera seed last year, with all 11 germinating and were growing fine in containers until this winter. The smaller plants have died, whereas the larger ones are barely hanging on. Hopefully, at least one plant will survive to grow large enough to make it through my relatively mild winters.

We are experiencing a fairly wet winter this year. the lowest temp recorded in the garden was 32.2 f., not quite freezing. My butterfly garden solely resides in containers, as I live in a mobile home community located in North County San Diego that is surrounded by geotextile, rock and gravel, and succulents. Because of our extended drought condition here, I've been making the potting soil a bit on the heavy and moisture retentive side. All of my other butterfly plants are doing well in it, except the C. procera. If any make it, I'll certainly be repotting them in a looser, fast-draining mix.

Hopefully some of this info will help others interested in growing it.

Yes. Crunch, my experience has been the same. They need very little water. I assume they have a fairly extensive root system, since my plant has grown so large with virtually no extra watering.

I no longer have seedlings. I sent them to a member of this forum. In another few weeks the weather here will be good enough to start some new ones.

Here in Central Florida the only butterflies I have seen lately are Monarchs and Sulfurs.

If they all croak, I'll start again with seed and change their soil mix.

Not many butterflies around my neighborhood either right now. Saw one lonely Monarch the past few weeks, that's it. It won't be until around April when the little skippers will start showing up, feeding on lantanas. Around the same time, Painted Ladies begin their migration to northern parallels from their start in the deserts south and east of us.

I cant wait until I move to Florida! I want to see the butterflies year round. I am out of Northern Va as soon as I finish up my degree. My soul needs to be able to garden year round.. :)

does anyone have seeds to trade/share?

I bought some from Hawaii....and am waiting for them to sprout. If they don't, I'll buy a plant. I really want one! Tom was kind enough to send some cuttings, but they got delayed in the mail and arrived as a box of mush! ICK!!

kaboehm, could you supply us a link to where you purchased your seed? All I can find online is offers from European sources.

It was an etsy shop

I bought my seed at SmartSeeds. She also has an Etsy site, which is probably the one you purchased yours from. She was out of them a while back, but it looks like she has a new batch.

BTW: the seven or so C. procera I overwintered and thought may have croaked, are showing signs of basal sprout. YAY! Hope to grow them big enough to harvest cuttings by summer...

I am so happy you are seeing some beginnings of growth for your C procera. By noticing your local, I couldn't figure out why your plants might have died but, going back through the posts, I see you are growing them in containers. I understand that could have some bearing on winter temps, etc.

This is an excellent thread and with everyone's contributions, so helpful to those who would like to try growing this lovely and unusual milkweed plant.

Mary

Is this the plant you all are talking about?

http://www.smartseedstore.com/home.html#!/Calotropis-procera-Crown-Flower/p/13392034

If so if anyone has starts or seeds I would be very interested in them.

thanks You can email my through my profile.

sorie6: yes, that's the plant alright, and the place my last year's seeds came from. She sent me 11; all germinated within 5-6 days. No cold stratification needed.

With the advent of consistent warm weather, my C. procera grew at a remarkable rate. Give it a fast draining soil, letting it dry out a little bit in between waterings. Mine were growing great until the weather turned wet and cold (didn't get below 32°), when the stems died down. I thought I lost them, but on closer inspection I can see basal sprouts emerging just above the soil line in the hardened wood. All of the herbaceous sections of the plants withered in the cold.

I'd just buy some seeds from SmartSeed and start them soon. They grow extremely fast, one of mine producing flowers within 4-6 months upon germinating. If I get any viable seed from them later in the season, I'll surly offer some here.

Jack-E san diego, ca

I am in E San Diego, and I have 'calotropis giantea', and the butterflies don't seem to lay eggs on the plant. If I transplant a large cat, they eat it like crazy. Help

To the above discussion, just to be clear: Giant Milkweed is Calotropis Gigantea, not Procera - procera is commonly called "apple of Sodom, Sodom apple, stabragh, king's crown, rubber bush, and rubber tree", according to Wikipedia.

Jack-E, i've had my Gigantea for a couple years now and monarchs are in the garden all the time, but I got my first caterpillar just this week on it. People in butterfly groups said it might take time with Gigantea. Try to plant some native ones along with it.