Winter sowing surprise! Purple Milkweed (Asclepias cordifolia)

macranthos

7 years ago

That's a good story, Mary. It's native here in Oregon (well, 6 hours away it is...) and we've also had a bit of difficulty germinating the seeds. For something with "weed" in the name, some sure are tough to grow. How are yours now?

Mary Leek
Original Author

7 years ago

Yes, I've often thought the same thing! :-) The little seedlings are still alive. They look almost like a vine to me, currently about 8-9 inches long. I don't know if this is common with young seedlings of this milkweed or if I'm not providing something they need. With our wet spring, they developed powdery mildew so I sprayed with Neem and brought them inside under grow lights for a drier growing environment. They seem to be happier (at least no more powdery mildew). I do water from the bottom now, trying to maintain a dry surface. Now to locate a planting spot for them in the garden. There is no way I can meet the conditions of their native soil but will try to come as close as I can by mixing in rough sand and planting in a bright spot with excellent drainage.

Mary

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A. syriaca (common milkweed), I'm told, can be virtually invasive, so be careful. I believe they travel by underground roots or rhizomes or tubers. But, when they do bloom, I'll be cutting off the blooms as soon as they wilt. My tropical milkweed self-sowed this year and it is everywhere in the garden. I've had to pull some up, actually that would cover my nectar plants and other host plants. Others I've left (like in the borders of other beds) to grow. This year my incarnata I winter sowed last winter, and planted in spring last year, are 3-4' tall! They grew very quickly. I have both the species and 'Ice Ballet'. Susan

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I have the big white zinnias too. But the bees and butterflies seem to like the cosmos and salvias best. The bees go nuts for my white datura too. They are so funny. They'll be out there in the early evening before the flowers open buzzing all over the place. They'll force the blooms open enough that they can squeeze inside and then they get stuck. So then I'm out there deadheading and the flower buds are all buzzing angrily and I'm like "sorry guys, I'm not rescuing you. You should have been patient!" I was in the big park across the street this morning and I finally saw one lonely little milkweed. I have been scouring the field where there are normally a lot of them. It makes me really worried for the next generation of monarchs. I'm also worried about the birds. There are hardly any berries and seeds to get them through the winter. The hackberries and grapes are almost totally bare. I bought a couple of feeders and some seed last week for them. Haven't had a chance to put them up yet though. I've got to get all the houseplants inside and settled and then maybe I can work on that! Oh! Speaking of, I noticed that someone said monarchs will feed on Asclepias because it is related to the milkweeds. I was wondering if they would also like hoyas because they're also related. I have lots of them and they have been outside most of the time.

Extreme Climate Winter Sowing......the HOT zones: 8, 9, and 10 (nati

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Winter Sowing Seed Exchange FAQs ~ How should I offer my seeds in a

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I think it would be best to explain what a "good posting" is by showing an example, and then breaking it down and showing "why" it is good. Let's pretend that "Gardener_Jane" has made a post that she has seeds to offer for trade. The following is her post: "Here's my list! All these seeds came from plants that were Winter Sown or reseeded in my garden. They are all hardy, beautiful, and easy to grow". *Perennials* Aquilegia (columbine, grape colored flowers) Aquilegia mix (columbines, nice selection from my garden) Asclepias Incarnata (swamp milkweed, pink flowers, will grow in dry dirt) Campanula Latifolia (mountain bells, purple flowers) Campanula Medium (Canterbury bells...nice mix) Coreopsis Mix (1'-2' mix of strong golden flowers) Hibiscus Militaris (halberd-leaved marshmallow) Inula Helenium (inula) Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry' (fountain grass "black moudry") Tanacetum Parthenium (feverfew) Tanacetum Vulgare (common tansy) Vernonia Gigantea (giant ironweed) *Annuals* Cerise Celosia (celosia...candle type, cherry pink flowers) Cosmos Sulphureus (bright lights cosmos) Daneborg Lace poppy (papaver somniferum, red and white flowers) Morning Glories (lavender) Nicandra Physaloides (aka shoo fly, apple of Peru, black pod) Nicotiana Rustica (Aztec tobacco, greenish-yellow flowers) Nigella (blue flowers, nice for drying...weird pods!) *Veggies and Herbs* Italian Parsley Bok Choy Ruby Beets Bright Lights Swiss Chard Soldier Beans (12 seeds per pack) I'm looking to trade for other flower varieties I can Winter Sow in my zone seven garden. I am also interested in growing oriental veggies, ornamental grasses, and roses from seeds. I usually mail seeds out within 48 to 72 hours after making a trade, and I send my seeds protected with bubblewrap. I'd like you to do the same for me please. If you need to make other arrangements all it takes is an email...I'm very flexible. Thanks for looking at my list! Gardener_Jane Okay! Great post Jane ;-) Let's break it down to see exactly why Jane's post IS good: "Here's my list! All these seeds came from plants that were winter sown or reseeded in my garden. They are all hardy, beautiful, and easy to grow." Jane gives some vital introductory information. Her seeds are hardy for Winter Sowing, and she says they're lovely and easy to grow. ----------- *Perennials* Aquilegia (columbine, grape colored flowers) Aquilegia mix (columbines, nice selection from my garden) Asclepias Incarnata (swamp milkweed, pink flowers, will grow in dry dirt) Campanula Latifolia (mountain bells, purple flowers) Campanula Medium (Canterbury bells...nice mix) Coreopsis Mix (1'-2' mix of strong golden flowers) Hibiscus Militaris (halberd-leaved marshmallow) Inula Helenium (inula) Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry' (fountain grass "black moudry") Tanacetum Parthenium (feverfew) Tanacetum Vulgare (common tansy) Vernonia Gigantea (giant ironweed) *Annuals* Cerise Celosia (celosia...candle type, cherry pink flowers) Cosmos Sulphureus (bright lights cosmos) Daneborg Lace poppy (papaver somniferum, red and white flowers) Morning Glories (lavender) Nicandra Physaloides (aka shoo fly, apple of Peru, black pod) Nicotiana Rustica (Aztec tobacco, greeny-yellow flowers) Nigella (blue flowers, nice for drying...weird pods!) *Veggies and Herbs* Italian Parsley Bok Choy Ruby Beets Bright Lights Swiss Chard Soldier Beans (12 seeds per pack) Janes list is organized well, it's in ABC order, and she's included both the common and botanical names of the plants. "Soldier Beans (12 seeds per pack)" Jane lets us know that this seed pack contains just a dozen seeds because the count is under the GardenWeb suggested miniumum seedpack amount of 24 (two dozen) seeds. "I'm looking to trade for other flower varieties I can Winter Sow in my zone seven garden. I am also interested in growing oriental veggies, ornamental grasses, and roses from seeds." Jane has suggested what she would like to trade for. She does NOT state that she is ONLY LOOKING FOR THOSE SEEDS so she may be open to other suggestions....you can still initiate a trade even if you don't have what she's looking for and she'll either say yes or no. Never take a trade decline personally. Jane may have a small garden so she only has room for her favorites. "I usually mail seeds out within 48 to 72 hours after making a trade, and I send my seeds protected with bubblewrap. I'd like you to do the same for me please. If you need to make other arrangements all it takes is an email...I'm very flexible." Jane is letting us know what she does and what she expects. "Thanks for looking at my list!" Okay....Jane is friendly and she seems to know how to trade. Initiating a trade with Jane will be a good trade experience.

Mary Leek
Original Author

7 years ago

Thank you for confirming the seedlings growth habit. This is most helpful. We lived in The Dalles, OR in the mid 70's so I'm familiar with the drier areas of Oregon. I doubt this milkweed will do well here but it is fun trying.

I also have some Florida native Asclepias humistrata (Pinewoods milkweed) that I winter sowed. It is just now putting up the first true leaves, very slow growing but the first leaves already have the lovely coloring and markings of the mature plant. I probably have a better chance of getting these seedlings to mature, as Florida has the humidity common to my area.

Mary

Lena Hall

7 years ago

Mary, how are the purple milkweeds doing? i found a nursery who HAD some plants, but no longer have them in stock. wah waaaah :(

Mary Leek
Original Author

7 years ago

Lena, so sorry you weren't in time to pick up some Purple Milkweed. I was gone for most of the summer so wasn't here to tend to or observe my in-ground plants. Many stalks of the Purple MW still have a few tatty looking leaves on the tips but for all intents and purposes, they are gone. I don't know if they would have fared any better if I'd been here. I only realized this spring that I even had Purple Milkweed. Can't remember starting and planting out seedlings but lo and behold, the first blooms produced by these plants were certainly Purple Milkweed bloom heads. Although the blooms were worked over feverishly by the wild bee's, no seed pods this year. :-(

The little seedlings I had which were so healthy looking when I left are pretty much gone. I don't know if the roots are still alive. Some seedlings still had a few tatty looking leaves on them when I first got home so I'm hopeful it is just their time to decline for the season. I believe, based on the plant activity this spring, that this milkweed spreads much like the common milkweed.

Unfortunately, most of the native milkweeds in my garden look pretty rough before my growing season is done. The little A perennis is still going strong, healthy and blooming so I'm planning on planting a lot more for next year. And I will be growing the Mexican AKA Tropical milkweed again next year for the blooms. So many little insects in my garden nectar on their continuous blooms. Just have to be diligent about squishing the aphids. :-)

Mary

Winter sowing surprise! Purple Milkweed (Asclepias cordifolia)

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Winter sowing surprise! Purple Milkweed (Asclepias cordifolia)

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