Others have considered it toxic. Keep the planting bed moist until the seedlings become established. You can plant your seedlings in your garden after the last frost when they are at least 3 inches tall. Monarch caterpillar on a Milkweed plant. Those engaged in restoration are urged to consult the county distribution maps and to select species that are previously known to occur. Leaves … Newsletter . Flowers bloom from June to September, but may not bloom until the second year. When starting your seeds or seedling, keep the soil moist until the plant is fully established and then cut watering back to an as-needed basis. This will give your Milkweed seed a long winter of dormancy. If you need to improve your soil's drainage or if you have heavy clay soil, amend it by adding 4 inches of sand spread over the planting area. You have the power to instantly change the world ! Skip to content. Serial Number. Pesticide Reduction & Alternatives. But now, as difficult as it is to believe, we are learning that this may not necessarily be true. Starting seeds indoors in winter. In hopes to replace it In my garden this spring, I am looking for native variety seeds that may be growing in everyone’s gardens here in CA. The Midwest … Milkweed is slender and doesn't need much room to grow so go ahead and plant many seeds! It is an important monarch butterfly caterpillar host plant. Version Number _01 PROGRAMS. Pollinator Conservation. California has a wonderful climate for growing vegetables, with a whopping 270 days between the last and first frost dates in the season. California has a wonderful climate for growing vegetables, with a whopping 270 days between the last and first frost dates in the season. This flowering plant is a hairy, erect perennial that grows to about 4 feet tall. Monarch’s appetites do not seem specific to any particular species of milkweed. Xerces Blog. Connect With Us. Build a Butterfly and Pollinator Garden in 7 Steps 1962. You can also start stratified seeds indoors in late winter. Keep in mind that seeds have a range of soil temperatures at which they will germinate. Direct seed or transplant. Endangered Species Conservation. Sources of milkweed seeds and plants can be found via our Milkweed Market and the Xerces Society’s Seed Finder. This may lead you to wonder what does milkweed look like. Educate others and ask them to take responsibility for their actions. Question: What type of milkweed should I plant for Sunland, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, CA? Almost always, more milkweed plants means more Monarch butterflies. When starting the plant, water regularly but allow the soil to go nearly dry between each watering. When emerging milkweeds have three to four sets of leaves, thin seedlings to 6 inches apart. Plant them 18 inches apart. Zones 2-8. To direct sow, plant seeds in debris-free, well-worked soil that has been deeply watered. Almost always, more milkweed plants means more Monarch butterflies. I then gently tap the bottom of the seed tray on a flat surface to let the soil mix settle just a bit. When to Plant Milkweed seeds can be sown outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. But now, as difficult as it is to believe, we are learning that this may not necessarily be true. To ensure successful germination of milkweed seeds, plant them in a smooth, clump-free soil bed worked to a fine consistency using a rake or rototiller. Most of the areas in which milkweed is found are frost freeze zones. Step 2: Add soil . Join our friendly community that shares tips and ideas for gardens, along with seeds and plants. Drought tolerant, this California native plant grows in some high desert areas and into Baja California. HISTORY & FOLKLORE Historically, various Native Americans throughout its range have used desert milkweed as a medicinal plant. California milkweed, Asclepias californica is one of the most beautiful milkweeds in the Santa Monica Mountains. Seeds and plants of selected Asclepias cultivars are available from many nurseries. If the appearance of the plant is too weedy for your taste, grow milkweed plants in a hidden but sunny corner or at the back of a border. Some seeds do need a hard frost to germinate, but milkweed seeds do not. Speaking of migrations, where the monarch spends its summer determines where it goes in the winter. 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 planting in spring for better germination. Questions & Answers. The plant is commonly found growing in open fields, pastures and prairies. And, true to their name, the nonnative plants are a bit weedy. After you’ve sown the seeds, compact them into the soil (but don’t cover them) to provide good soil-to-seed contact. If you have less than those desirable conditions, you are in luck because they can adapt to poor soil conditions and some periods of drought. Early uses of California plants. Midwest and Northeast. The range of desert milkweed extends from western Arizona and southern Nevada, into southeastern California and Baja California, Sonora, and Sinaloa, Mexico. Cover with 1/4” of finely sifted soil. Whether to plant native milkweed or non-native milkweed in your garden has been a controversial topic. If you are planting seed outside, we suggest seeding in late fall so that Milkweed seeds can lay on the ground through winter. Without proper thinning, you will end up with weaker plants. In most areas, when you plant seeds outside in fall, seeds can go through the cold stratification process naturally. There are over 100 species of milkweeds in North America and not all of them are used by Monarchs. Download as PDF. Take responsibility for your actions. These experts suspect that the supply of exotic milkweeds is prompting some monarchs to loiter in California, and those that don't migrate seem to be more vulnerable to parasites, according to entomologist Brent Karner. Refer to the seed packets for special instructions on sowing the seeds. California milkweed grows in lower northern California, central and southern California as well as into northern Baja California. See BONAP’s North American Plant Atlas for Asclepias. 102 pp. Educate yourself about the effects of your actions. As the blog points out, milkweed won’t germinate until the soil starts to warm in late spring. Plant Milkweed The good news is that planting milkweed is one of the easiest ways that each of us can make a difference for monarchs. News like this can seem both abstract and overwhelming. The red outline on the map below is a no-milkweed 5-mile buffer from the California Coast north of Santa Barbara. Get A FREE Catalog. 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. I’ll show you the right timing for collecting milkweed seeds from existing plants and how to sow the seeds. 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. Showy milkweed is native to much of the western half of North America. Gardener's have recently taken an interest in milkweed plants, as the flowers that appear throughout summer are known to attract butterflies. Plant in the spring after the danger of frost is gone. Milkweed seeds require stratification-- cold treatment ... Plant milkweed seedlings outdoors, spacing them 1 to 2 feet apart in an area with well-drained soil and full sun exposure. Support the Xerces Society. I will focus mainly on well-known plants that have seed available, are known to be used by Monarchs and are garden friendly (with a few exceptions that I will point out in the descriptions below). The seeds should germinate in 10 to 14 days. Sign up for our Newsletter. Milkweed, in the Asclepias genus of plants, is the host plant for the monarch butterfly. How to plant milkweed for monarch butterflies. It’s never easy to get the message out about threats to the environment and endangered species. clicking on Plant Materials. University of California Press. Planting Narrowleaf Milkweed Seeds. With deep purple flowers and white to gray fuzzy foliage this plant typically sprawls across the ground rather than growing upwards. Narrow-leaf milkweed evolved in California so it is a generally drought tolerant plant. You need to plant your California poppy seeds in rich, fast-draining soil with access to ample water and full sunshine. It is best to plant species from your local area, adapted to the specific site conditions where the plants are to be grown. When tropical milkweed is planted in the coastal southern U.S. and California, these plants continue to flower and produce new leaves throughout the fall and winter, except during rare freeze events. Grow milkweed In North America, more than 100 species of milkweed (genus Asclepias) grow, and the first step is finding a kind expert to your area, such as Grow Milkweed Plants or Xerces Society. 19-004. Press & Media. Please plant seeds and help to ensure their survival. Milkweed is an herbaceous perennial plant native to North America. It is a perennial and has thick wooly stems that are low to the ground and bending upwards. Where to Plant Milkweed in California. To start plants from seed, see How to Sow Seeds Indoors for Outdoor Plants. Planting Tropical Milkweed Seeds. Growing Milkweed. As a naive butterfly lover, I picked up a tropical milkweed plant this past summer at a local nursery without reading throughly into all the studies that recommend against it especially in California where I live. When to plant milkweed seeds depends on whether you’re growing milkweed from seeds or small plants. Grow milkweed in your garden to provide food for monarch caterpillars. ... That’s why migrate more than 3,000 miles each fall to Mexico or Southern California. 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. Plant seeds of the milkweed plant indoors or direct sow outside after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Plant the seeds, watch the milkweed grow, and wait for monarch butterflies to arrive! The milkweed plant is an upright specimen that may reach 2 to 6 feet. A Milkweed in every yard! Resources. Here are some resources. References Balls, E.K. Plant an idea by sharing your knowledge. Publications Library. In fact, many California plants do not need a frost to trigger germination, but it is on a species by species basis. SEEDS AND PLUGS NEEDED FOR RESTORATION BY REGION. There are several dozen species of this wildflower native to North America, so no matter where you live, there is at least one milkweed species naturally found in your area. Growing milkweed is easy, as the plant basically takes care of itself once established. You can choose to direct sow seeds in a weed-free area of your garden or plant them in starter pots and transplant them outside. In California it is found in the Sierras and Coast Ranges, from Tulare County to Modoc and Siskiyou Counties. 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. Work the sand into the soil to a depth of about 9 inches. 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