It is a perennial and has thick wooly stems that are low to the ground and bending upwards. The large, pointed, banana-like leaves are arranged opposite on the stalk-like stem. Hummingbirds, bees, and beneficial insects love it too! Spring seed planting. Water once, and then allow the winter rain and/or snow to provide moisture until the spring. Plant seeds 1/8" deep and 18” apart, using 3 seeds per hole. Tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, was visited by this monarch caterpillar who is now off to find a … Tropical milkweed is commonly grown as a host plant for monarch butterflies. For decades the most common milkweed species in our gardens has been a Central American species sometimes called Tropical Milkweed, or more correctly Asclepias currassivica. With a blooming period lasting from May through October, narrow-leaved milkweed provides plenty of nectar for adult monarchs, but more importantly, it provides the necessary leaves that Monarch butterflies depend upon, and not the harmful protozoa. Flowers bloom from June to September, but may not bloom until the second year. If you live near overwintering sites, consider planting early spring, late-fall, and winter-blooming nectar plants instead of . Once the seedlings reach 1", thin out so you have individual plants spaced 18” apart. California is the center of the distributions for six milkweed species used by monarchs; A. fascicularis (Mexican whorled/narrowleaf milkweed), A. erosa (desert milkweed), A. californica (California milkweed), A. cordifo- lia (heartleaf milkweed), A. eriocarpa (woolypod milkweed) and A. vestita (woolly milkweed). It didn’t get much water, and grew in very hard soil, (in Southern California), so I took some branches, rooted them, grew it and am enjoying caterpillars and Monarch butterflies! Begin by planting the local, Native milkweed to promote future years of Monarch habitat in your garden. NATIVE MILKWEED IN CALIFORNIA. Step 2: Add soil I like to pour a heaping amount of soil mix onto the center of my seed insert and then spread it evenly with the edge of my seed packet or anything with a straight edge. With deep purple flowers and white to gray fuzzy foliage this plant typically sprawls across the ground rather than growing upwards. Soil: There is a Milkweed variety for every landscape. If you miss the window of opportunity for fall planting, winter sowing milkweed seeds is also an option. The range of desert milkweed extends from western Arizona and southern Nevada, into southeastern California and Baja California, Sonora, and Sinaloa, Mexico. When to plant milkweed. The monarchs in California are not those that winter in Mexico or that you read about when you were in school. In fact, many California plants do not need a frost to trigger germination, but it is on a species by species basis. California Milkweed is native to the following state: California. Unlike Tropical Milkweed, which retains foliage all winter and even a few flowers, our native milkweed is completely winter dormant. Zone 5 Planting Schedule Zone 6 … Milkweeds in the genus Asclepias provide the only plant material monarch caterpillars can eat. Weather permitting, Game & Fish will plant milkweed in Cornville, Springerville and Safford in January and February. 2013. Water regularly allowing the soil to go nearly dry between each watering. Roll the seeds in a damp paper towel, or place them in moist peat moss, and then put them in a plastic bag. Map ©: Kartesz, J.T. Common milkweed plants grow to about 2 to 4 feet in height, with a thin, vertical growth habit. Water once, and then allow the winter rain and/or snow to provide moisture until the spring. Most of the areas in which milkweed is found are frost freeze zones. Milkweed seeds require stratification to germinate. Growing Instructions: Start California Milkweed seeds outdoors in late November. Milkweed is slender and doesn't need much room to grow so go ahead and plant many seeds! Simply sprinkle seeds on well-tilled soil and pat them down, add a topdressing of soil, and water them in. If you prefer to plant the seeds outdoors in the spring, read our detailed instructions on cold moist stratification. Since the 1980’s, California’s monarch population has declined an estimated 97%. Planting local milkweed species is always best. After stra… California milkweed grows in lower northern California, central and southern California as well as into northern Baja California. My message is don’t baby this plant, it is a weed! The fleshy fruits of milkweed contain seeds with fluffy hairs, which aid dispersal by wind. ; Swamp Milkweed, as its name implies, will do best in a moist environment, making it great for wet meadows or rain gardens. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Pick a location with full sun and prepare soil for good drainage, if needed. 11. Nonetheless, there still may be an issue. You can plant milkweed seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, but they will need to be stratified for 2 to 3 months in the refrigerator before … Call ahead to confirm species, quantity and verify plants have not been in contact with neonicotinoids or pesticides. Other planned sites are near Buckeye, Black Canyon City and Bullhead City. Fertilize monthly in the summer with a general purpose fertilizer. Matilija Nursery Moorpark, CA. In Connie Day's Santa Monica garden, a tiger-colored monarch spars with another butterfly, chasing it from a patch of milkweeds. Once established, this native plant is a breeze to grow and requires little maintenance. The question for many isn't whether to grow milkweed, but how -- and which kind. "The challenge is keeping the food here," Day says, noting that a few monarchs can defoliate a plant in a couple of weeks. According to Theodore Payne Foundation, wait until the weather warms up in March – here are their instructions. don’t plant milkweed where it didn’t naturally grow AND plant the native species) Liam tucks in another universally solid suggestion: plant nectar plants! The stems and leav… Ours do not travel from the Northern parts of North America to Southern areas every winter and then back again the following spring. Some seeds do need a hard frost to germinate, but milkweed seeds do not. Before planting the seeds, soak them in warm water for 24 hours to ensure that moisture breaks through their hard shells and reaches their tiny embryos. This flowering plant is a hairy, erect perennial that grows to about 4 feet tall. The Ascelpias viridis (spider milkweed) plants will be spaced 1.5 to 2 feet apart. Planting Milkweed (Asclepias) is essential to creating a habitat for the beloved Monarch butterfly's survival, as they are the only plants on which Monarch caterpillars will feed. About November the foliage will quickly yellow and begin to dry. Perhaps most famously, milkweed species serve as the host plant for the monarch butterfly. Three or four years ago I bought a milkweed plant at a local nursery with the hope of attracting monarch butterflies. Native Narrow-leaved Milkweed is perfectly suitable to most of our gardens, as long as you understand its growth cycle and know what to expect. Monroe: Besides the basic premise of learning from nature, by doing the research, (i.e. There is growing evidence within the science community that non-native milkweeds may be causing changes in monarch migration habits and increasing the prevalence of a debilitating disease among the adult butterflies. When do you plant those seeds? Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias currasavica) has many variations, but is commonly found in red/yellow or yellow. Milkweed plants, in all their various forms, are the exclusive foodplant of Monarch butterflies, so gardeners can play an important role in monarch ecology, and hopefully their recovery. It seems that the caterpillars pick up the parasite from eating the infected milkweed leaves. California on average has approximately 270 days between the last and first frost. Be the first to review this product! Roger’s Gardens no longer sells or recommends tropical milkweed. You can collect your own seed or purchase seed or plants to add to your garden, or any landscape in your community. Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a native herbaceous perennial whose main virtue is its appeal to butterfliesespecially the monarch, which deposits its eggs on the milkweed. The seeds will germinate 10 - 20 days after the danger of nighttime freezing has past. Grow Native Nursery, 2 locationsClaremont, CA & West Los Angeles, CA. Milkweeds are a necessary plant to About California Milkweed (Asclepias californica) 3 Nurseries Carry This Plant Add to My Plant List; Asclepias californica is a species in the Apocynaceae (Dogbane) family known by the common name California milkweed. Narrowleaf milkweed is a perennial flower native to parts of the western U.S. Plant seeds during the cool season of Zones 9 and 10. With a minimum donation of $5, you will receive a packet of milkweed seeds and planting guide to turn your garden into a sanctuary for monarchs and pollinators. Although you can plant Milkweed in the spring after cold stratification and starting seeds indoors, fall is the easier — and more natural — time to plant. In Southern California, gardeners have milkweed choices when outdoor plant shopping. Powered by BigCommerce. We supply Narrow-Leaf Milkweed Asclepias fascicularis seeds to individuals across southern California who would like to take action to help restore monarch populations. Light: Young Milkweed plants need plenty of diffuse light as they grow.Plant in full sun locations. Using the planting schedules below will help you get the most out of your garden. Plant seeds 1/8" deep and 18” apart, using 3 seeds per hole. There are also many non-native varieties of milkweed that grow well here in southern California. Corona del Mar, CA 92625, Open Daily 9 AM – 8 PM Drought tolerant, this California native plant grows in some high desert areas and into Baja California. Sitemap In California it is found in the Sierras and Coast Ranges, from Tulare County to Modoc and Siskiyou Counties. Common Milkweed grows well in average garden soil. Whether native or tropical, make your milkweed choice carefully and manage your plants intelligently. (We recommend you take this action in October, but if you have let it grow … 1-2 months after your seedlings have sprouted next spring, pinch off extra plants (or consider transplanting) to achieve ideal spacing for your specific milkweed. They usually have three types of native milkweed beginning around March. 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd. To grow Swamp Milkweed from seed, cold stratify in a moist paper towel in the refrigerator for 2 months, stored in a zip lock bag. The parent butterfly will lay its egg on the underside of a milkweed leaf. Those plants with high concentrations of the protozoan are more likely to kill monarch caterpillars or chrysalises. When the caterpillars hatch, they feed on the leaves of milkweed. 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