Milkweeds are a necessary plant to If you prefer to plant the seeds outdoors in the spring, read our detailed instructions on cold moist stratification. It is an important monarch butterfly caterpillar host plant. California on average has approximately 270 days between the last and first frost. Planting local milkweed species is always best. The parent butterfly will lay its egg on the underside of a milkweed leaf. Most of the areas in which milkweed is found are frost freeze zones. Pick a location with full sun and prepare soil for good drainage, if needed. 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). 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. Map ©: Kartesz, J.T. Pick a location with full sun and prepare soil for good drainage, if needed. Plant seeds 1/8" deep and 18” apart, using 3 seeds per hole. Plant seeds 1/8" deep and 18” apart, using 3 seeds per hole. Begin by planting the local, Native milkweed to promote future years of Monarch habitat in your garden. The seeds get darker as they mature. Drought tolerant, this California native plant grows in some high desert areas and into Baja 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. According to Theodore Payne Foundation, wait until the weather warms up in March – here are their instructions. Nonetheless, there still may be an issue. In California it is found in the Sierras and Coast Ranges, from Tulare County to Modoc and Siskiyou Counties. Showy milkweed is native to much of the western half of North America. Be the first to review this product! Shortly after this, the entire plant is generally cut back to near the soil line to let it rest until the following spring, when it will burst out with a fresh season of growth. 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! In northwest Florida, the milkweed species most planted has been tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, as it is lush, showy and easy to grow. California Pollinator Plants Native Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) Common milkweed plants grow to about 2 to 4 feet in height, with a thin, vertical growth habit. Weather permitting, Game & Fish will plant milkweed in Cornville, Springerville and Safford in January and February. If you live near overwintering sites, consider planting early spring, late-fall, and winter-blooming nectar plants instead of . Some seeds do need a hard frost to germinate, but milkweed seeds do not. Almost always, more milkweed plants means more Monarch butterflies. Zones 2-8 Plant in the spring after the danger of frost is gone. Fall-sown seed will be naturally stratified outside. 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. Ours do not travel from the Northern parts of North America to Southern areas every winter and then back again the following spring. That way, the plant keeps putting out more flowers in an effort to fruit and reproduce. Common Milkweed grows well in average garden soil. Unlike Tropical Milkweed, which retains foliage all winter and even a few flowers, our native milkweed is completely winter dormant. 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 … In fact, many California plants do not need a frost to trigger germination, but it is on a species by species basis. After clearly labeling the sealed bag as \"milkweed seeds\" and dating it, place it in a refrigerator for 10 to 12 weeks. The seeds will germinate 10 - 20 days after the danger of nighttime freezing has past. Then, as Fall approaches, cut back your Mexican Milkweed to the ground. There are also many non-native varieties of milkweed that grow well here in southern California. (visit our Holiday Hours), Copyright © 2020 | Roger’s Gardens | All Rights Reserved, Monarchs and Milkweed, What Gardeners Need to Know. But they do move around regionally, just not like the big migrations of some areas. It is a perennial and has thick wooly stems that are low to the ground and bending upwards. As with all species of milkweed, pinching off the blooms once they are spent, a process called “deadheading,” can greatly prolong the blooming season. About November the foliage will quickly yellow and begin to dry. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Those plants with high concentrations of the protozoan are more likely to kill monarch caterpillars or chrysalises. Others have considered it toxic. California milkweed grows in lower northern California, central and southern California as well as into northern Baja California. The monarchs in California are not those that winter in Mexico or that you read about when you were in school. This flowering plant is a hairy, erect perennial that grows to about 4 feet tall. In Southern California, gardeners have milkweed choices when outdoor plant shopping. Tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, was visited by this monarch caterpillar who is now off to find a … Alternatively, you could direct sow in the fall, or winter sow the seeds. Sitemap HISTORY & FOLKLORE Historically, various Native Americans throughout its range have used desert milkweed as a medicinal plant. It is a magnet for monarchs and even a single plant in a garden will soon display a few colorful caterpillars dining on its leaves. 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! Growing Instructions: Start California Milkweed seeds outdoors in late November. 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. Once the seedlings reach 1", thin out so you have individual plants spaced 18” apart. Whether native or tropical, make your milkweed choice carefully and manage your plants intelligently. The large, pointed, banana-like leaves are arranged opposite on the stalk-like stem. Milkweed is slender and doesn't need much room to grow so go ahead and plant many seeds! Zone 5 Planting Schedule Zone 6 … Your efforts will help bring back the Monarch’s and restore their populations to healthy levels. They usually have three types of native milkweed beginning around March. Perhaps most famously, milkweed species serve as the host plant for the monarch butterfly. Simply sprinkle seeds on well-tilled soil and pat them down, add a topdressing of soil, and water them in. Tropical milkweed should be cut back to the ground in late fall, in areas with mild winters where plants do not die back naturally. 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. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) are considered the best varieties for an ornamental garden. Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias currasavica) has many variations, but is commonly found in red/yellow or yellow. You can collect your own seed or purchase seed or plants to add to your garden, or any landscape in your community. And this popular plant hosts many more besides monarchs. This product hasn't received any reviews yet. We supply Narrow-Leaf Milkweed Asclepias fascicularis seeds to individuals across southern California who would like to take action to help restore monarch populations. 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd. With deep purple flowers and white to gray fuzzy foliage this plant typically sprawls across the ground rather than growing upwards. Matilija Nursery Moorpark, CA. When do you plant those seeds? Planting and Establishment. Roger’s Gardens no longer sells or recommends tropical milkweed. Spring seed planting. 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. 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. The long, oblong leaves are light green and grow to about 8 inches long. 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. 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. Light: Young Milkweed plants need plenty of diffuse light as they grow.Plant in full sun locations. Southern California Pro-tips. It seems that the caterpillars pick up the parasite from eating the infected milkweed leaves. Soil: There is a Milkweed variety for every landscape. 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. ; Swamp Milkweed, as its name implies, will do best in a moist environment, making it great for wet meadows or rain gardens. California milkweed, Asclepias californica is one of the most beautiful milkweeds in the Santa Monica Mountains. The range of desert milkweed extends from western Arizona and southern Nevada, into southeastern California and Baja California, Sonora, and Sinaloa, Mexico. (We recommend you take this action in October, but if you have let it grow … Call ahead to confirm species, quantity and verify plants have not been in contact with neonicotinoids or pesticides. Grow Native Nursery, 2 locationsClaremont, CA & West Los Angeles, CA. Milkweed is also well known for attracting butterflies and serving as a host plant for their caterpillars. The Ascelpias viridis (spider milkweed) plants will be spaced 1.5 to 2 feet apart. Narrow-leaved milkweed, or Asclepias fascicularis, is a relatively showy plant reaching about three feet in height with pale pink to cream colored flowers. We suggest all tropical milkweed be removed from your garden, but we know that some gardeners will resist this request, especially when they see larvae abundantly feeding on it. Growing Instructions: Start California Milkweed seeds outdoors in late November. 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. Hummingbirds, bees, and beneficial insects love it too! When & Where To Plant Milkweed. Powered by BigCommerce. 11. "The challenge is keeping the food here," Day says, noting that a few monarchs can defoliate a plant in a couple of weeks. Water once, and then allow the winter rain and/or snow to provide moisture until the spring. Milkweed seeds require stratification to germinate. 3 Toxicity to Livestock Plant seed in fall in a sunny location. In Connie Day's Santa Monica garden, a tiger-colored monarch spars with another butterfly, chasing it from a patch of milkweeds. Since the 1980’s, California’s monarch population has declined an estimated 97%. My message is don’t baby this plant, it is a weed! It disappears completely in the winter – and that is perfect for monarchs! California. When the caterpillars hatch, they feed on the leaves of milkweed. Milkweeds in the genus Asclepias provide the only plant material monarch caterpillars can eat. Flowers bloom from June to September, but may not bloom until the second year. Water once, and then allow the winter rain and/or snow to provide moisture until the spring. Water regularly allowing the soil to go nearly dry between each watering. Fortunately, our monarch butterflies in California and other western states are far less migratory than their Eastern brethren, so the issue of effecting their migration habits does not apply as much to our region. If you miss the window of opportunity for fall planting, winter sowing milkweed seeds is also an option. quester the plants’ chemical compounds, giving them pro-tection by making them distasteful to predators. Photo by Jacoba Charles. Once established, this native plant is a breeze to grow and requires little maintenance. Fall seed planting. California Milkweed is native to the following state: California. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). We recommend letting flowers stay in the garden. 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. After stra… The fleshy fruits of milkweed contain seeds with fluffy hairs, which aid dispersal by wind. NATIVE MILKWEED IN CALIFORNIA. In Southern California, gardeners have milkweed choices when outdoor plant shopping.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.It is a magnet for monarchs and even a single plant in a garden will soon display a few colorful caterpillars dining on its leaves. Mia Monroe at Muir Woods. We will remain open and will continue to follow COVID Safety Measures. 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. Other planned sites are near Buckeye, Black Canyon City and Bullhead City. It is native to California and northern Baja California from the East Bay region southward and the foothills of the Sierras. Using the planting schedules below will help you get the most out of your garden. 2013. My hope is that, if I can get California native milkweeds established in my garden, you should eventually be able to get the right kind of milkweed for Los Angeles via Cityscape Seeds. 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. The stems and leav… When to plant milkweed. The invertebrate conservation group The Xerces Society recommends native milkweed species. Tropical milkweed is commonly grown as a host plant for monarch butterflies. The question for many isn't whether to grow milkweed, but how -- and which kind. I generally winter sow, as that is the easiest if you are trying to get a set number of plants. We promise to never spam you, and just use your email address to identify you as a valid customer. Roll the seeds in a damp paper towel, or place them in moist peat moss, and then put them in a plastic bag. Corona del Mar, CA 92625, Open Daily 9 AM – 8 PM Whether to grow milkweed from seed (l), transplants, or rhizomes may depend on the species and the location. Three or four years ago I bought a milkweed plant at a local nursery with the hope of attracting monarch butterflies. Monroe: Besides the basic premise of learning from nature, by doing the research, (i.e. Fertilize monthly in the summer with a general purpose fertilizer. 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