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butterfly weed


littlebit

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eThere are a number of different kinds of butterfly weed. The native one Asclepias tuberosa is the one you see on disturbed ground around here. For some reason it grows on old strip jobs. It is a member of the milkweed family and when it blooms like right now it is covered in butterflies. It has a long taproot and is supposedly hard to transplant but we do it regularly with few problems. The yellow one that someone gave me didn't survive so I'm guessing that it isn't quite as vigourous as the orange one. I've also grown the very pretty bicolored on but it isn't hardy around here. 

It likes full sun but will grow in semi-shade but may not flower. It doesn't need much in the way of water but prefers well drained soil. I think the one I had in the front of the house succumbed to too much water when the drainage from the roof gutters got changed. It produces seed pods with the fluffy seeds like milkweed. Sometimes it reseeds if it is happy but I've never had it happen. A friend does. The seeds need special treatment usually before they will germinate. No bugs, no diseases (at least the ones I have) and the deer don't eat it. 

That is about all I know except that if the thing gets really big it is spectacular. 

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You can check it out beside the arbor at Charlie's Alternators.  Someone has been making regular raids on specific plants at those planting beds and the idiot stole the pods when they first formed.  They are worthless till they ripen and will not do so off of the bush.   If you see the pods developing then just tie a piece of fine netting around it so the seeds don't escape till you collect them.  Be sure they are fully ripe and either sow them in the late fall, winter germinate them, or start them indoors in the spring.

We do have seed stored for next year and will probably have plants at the spring seedling Bazaar.  You have to store the seed in the refrigerator in a brown paper bag.

Collection of seeds:

http://getbusygardening.com/collect-butterfly-weed-seeds-garden/

http://www.everwilde.com/store/Asclepias-tuberosa-WildFlower-Seed.html

Propagation of seeds:

http://monarchbutterflygarden.net/milkweed-plant-seed-resources/asclepias-tuberosa-butterfly-weed/

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I don't think there is any in the plant collection at the moment but we might have some next spring. It usually sells out. I can probably get you some seeds later on when they are ripe. My big plant didn't come back after last winter (it was really old) and I have only a small one started but we have them scattered around in various beds. They can't be divided but have to be dug in their entirety. 

There is a monarch caterpillar eating my little butterfly bush and he is about to be evicted. Hope he likes swamp milkweed because that is where he is going. I'm in the process of transplanting some milkweed but it is still in the greenhouse. I think it is going to work this time. 

I found 4 different kinds of butterflies on the ironweed yesterday and it is covered with bees. They also are now congregating on the butterfly bush and the pink coneflowers. The bees are loving the lamb's ears. 

 

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