Milkweed question

shnkrmn

shnkrmn

Well-Known Member
LeastExpectedGrower said:
Seeding can be a challenge. Cold stratification is a must and often it takes a year or two to germinate in my experience. I haven't tried to germinate in controlled conditions but have alternately planted and spread seeds across the past few years of a few varieties with mediocre results. I'll keep doing it for the next few years until we have something more substantial.
Click to expand...
I spread milkweed and butterfly weed seeds on a propagation tray of moist promix, cover it with a little more promix, cover it and leave in my unheated garage over winter. I get great germination but it does take a couple years to really establish.
 
LeastExpectedGrower

LeastExpectedGrower

Well-Known Member
shnkrmn said:
I spread milkweed and butterfly weed seeds on a propagation tray of moist promix, cover it with a little more promix, cover it and leave in my unheated garage over winter. I get great germination but it does take a couple years to really establish.
Click to expand...
I may do this and leave it in my garden shed and see how it goes. We're just getting to frosts right now, so I have some time to try it out and have about 3 varieties in seed form as well as some pods 'on the stock' to work with as well.
 
farmingfisherman

farmingfisherman

Well-Known Member
Phytoplankton said:
Milkweed is the only thing that Monarch butterfly caterpillars eat, and is essential for them to complete their life cycle. The sap of the milkweed is poisonous and the caterpillars, and eventually the butterflies, concentrate the poison in their tissues making them unattractive to predators. Monarch butterflies migrate long distances, they winter in Mexico and go as far north as Canada, however it takes two generations to make the trip. Kudos for planting it!
Click to expand...
That is the reason we really want to grow a patch of them. Call it a free B N B for the monarchs!
 
P

Phytoplankton

Well-Known Member
According to the USDA they use all nine species, caveat, this study was done in milkweed that occurs in Iowa:

Female monarchs will lay eggs on all nine milkweed species, but they prefer some over others.

  • Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and common milkweed (A. syriaca) averaged the highest number of eggs.
  • Monarch caterpillars hatching from eggs laid on tall green milkweed (A. hirtella) and prairie milkweed (A. sullivantii) had the lowest survival rates.
  • The height and number of blooms on the milkweed plants across all nine species weren’t factors influencing the female butterflies’ egg-laying preferences.
The findings indicate that while female monarchs do make choices, they don’t specialize in reproducing on a single milkweed species. What’s more, their egg-laying preference can change according to the time of season, the prevalence and habitat of the milkweed species they encounter, and the plants’ robustness and maturity.
 
buckaclark

buckaclark

Well-Known Member
Phytoplankton said:
Milkweed is the only thing that Monarch butterfly caterpillars eat, and is essential for them to complete their life cycle. The sap of the milkweed is poisonous and the caterpillars, and eventually the butterflies, concentrate the poison in their tissues making them unattractive to predators. Monarch butterflies migrate long distances, they winter in Mexico and go as far north as Canada, however it takes two generations to make the trip. Kudos for planting it!
Click to expand...
Thier migration path near Lake Superior actually has a huge diversion due to a giant mountain that has been gone for eons.
 
P

Phytoplankton

Well-Known Member
buckaclark said:
Thier migration path near Lake Superior actually has a huge diversion due to a giant mountain that has been gone for eons.
Click to expand...
I'm one the left coast, and there's been a huge decline in their numbers, mostly due to the lack of milkweed (and other habitat destruction). When I was a kid, there were eucalyptus trees next door that would be red, there were so many Monarchs. Haven't seen that in a couple decades. Kinda sad
 
sunni

sunni

Administrator
Staff member
you shouldn't have any issue tbh, just plant them, milkweed is hardy and assuming its the native one to your local it comes back spreads and continues.

mine are about 8 feet tall, i also recommend more than just milk weed, and to get lady bugs because milk weed attracts aphids like you have no idea. and milk weed bugs which dont do much to harm anything

I have three types of milkweed in my yard, ive built an entire butterfly yard, also have rose mallow, asters, pussy toes,robins plantain etc
 
buckaclark

buckaclark

Well-Known Member
Phytoplankton said:
I'm one the left coast, and there's been a huge decline in their numbers, mostly due to the lack of milkweed (and other habitat destruction). When I was a kid, there were eucalyptus trees next door that would be red, there were so many Monarchs. Haven't seen that in a couple decades. Kinda sad
Click to expand...
There have been huge die offs for decades in their wintering grounds in Mexico,not sure why but I have seen pictures of the bodies a foot deep on the forest floor.
 
StonedGardener

StonedGardener

Well-Known Member
Phytoplankton said:
I'm one the left coast, and there's been a huge decline in their numbers, mostly due to the lack of milkweed (and other habitat destruction). When I was a kid, there were eucalyptus trees next door that would be red, there were so many Monarchs. Haven't seen that in a couple decades. Kinda sad
Click to expand...
Here in Upstate I have certainly noticed a large decline in milkweed !
 
thumper60

thumper60

Well-Known Member
farmerfischer said:
Its on the watch list (common milkweed) for endangered plants here.. marnarch buttetflies are on the decline here because of it.. thats why i started growing them... the ones that grow on the shoulder of the dirt roads here are marked off so graders dont destroy them
Click to expand...
Its everywhere that doesnt get mowed here in maine, My grandson gathered an hatched out 78 monarchs this summer.
 
raggyb

raggyb

Well-Known Member
Phytoplankton said:
According to the USDA they use all nine species, caveat, this study was done in milkweed that occurs in Iowa:

Female monarchs will lay eggs on all nine milkweed species, but they prefer some over others.

  • Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and common milkweed (A. syriaca) averaged the highest number of eggs.
  • Monarch caterpillars hatching from eggs laid on tall green milkweed (A. hirtella) and prairie milkweed (A. sullivantii) had the lowest survival rates.
  • The height and number of blooms on the milkweed plants across all nine species weren’t factors influencing the female butterflies’ egg-laying preferences.
The findings indicate that while female monarchs do make choices, they don’t specialize in reproducing on a single milkweed species. What’s more, their egg-laying preference can change according to the time of season, the prevalence and habitat of the milkweed species they encounter, and the plants’ robustness and maturity.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clearing that up. good to know!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top