I grow alot of the tropical milkweed in my garden. These leaves grow to over 12 long and 6 wide. I also live in S. Florida where the monarchs lay eggs year round in my garden. Its also home to a whole host of one-of-a-kind items made with love and extraordinary care. Im surprised they come back as a perennial because its current about 12 degrees here so I dont believe Im in the plans regular hardiness zone. Im concerned about it spreading. Thus, you do not need to worry about . Thanks!! Good luck with your plant, Just double checking the propagation method of the Calantropis Gigantea (which if I am correct differs from the Calantropis Procera because it does not have seeds, the flowers are not fragrant and the leaves seem to be velvety gray/green on the top versus the green of the procera). This unique perennial is sometimes overlooked by gardeners who want to plant milkweed. By planting milkweed, youll be supporting monarch butterflies, attracting beneficial pollinators, and adding some color to your garden. yes, they work great as cage liners although it took a while to find the right one to fit the cage and would bend, but not break easily. Hi Janet, even if you cut off seed pods, some varieties will spread through underground rhizomes. yes, it should be a perennial in your region but I would talk to someone with first hand growing experience in your region for more info: Hi I have calotropis gigantea seed. It does well in poor-quality or dry soils and is very drought-tolerant once established. Compared to other varieties, it has a narrow stem and spiky leaves arranged in a spiral pattern. Thanks for the report from India, Jesse. With no milkweed around to feed on, butterflies head south in search of a new food source. It should grow well in your region. Recently moved full time to Homosassa, Florida. My crown plants are looking quite bare. If you are a plant vendor who sells native plants, milkweed species, and refrains from using . 2023 BIRD WATCHING HQ BECCA PARO DESIGN CO. 10 LIVE Bird Feeder Cams From Around the World. First, Tropical milkweed is so hardy it doesn't readily die-back in the winter. It will also attract beautiful Queen and Viceroy butterflies to your property! Its about 7 feet tall and is needing propped up ! From handmade pieces to vintage treasures ready to be loved again, Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. I had only 1 cutting out of about 30 not survive all the way through transplanting using this approach. I have 4 stems in my pot right now. Choose the options youd like for the order. Thank you for your support. Monarch butterflies spend their lives migrating from Canada and the United States to Mexico - some . Growing calotropis gigantea from seedsunfortunately only one sprouted, then four of calotropis proctera and i just started to transplant them into bigger pots, but Im wondering if this kind of milkweed have a tap root or not.any suggestions??? Similar to the issues with tropical milkweed: some of the nursery plants Ive gotten look fine at the nursery and after 2 or 3 days the leaves start to look somewhat diseased: spot, fuzzy looking excetera almost like mildew. Otherwise, pathogens can build up on them. My Giant milkweed branch (rather than single stem) and grew to 8 tall. (50% off), Sale Price $2.99 (BTW, what zone is Hawaii? The cats love it. Unfortunately, this one is an aphid MAGNET!! Survival Tips for Indoor House Plants when Youre Gone for More than a Week. sorry to hear youre experiencing more issues with monarch disease. Is there any way to prevent whatever is happening? Aiton - giant milkweed P: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T. Common Milkweed is relatively easy to grow, and its one of the easiest ways you can help support Monarch Butterflies. Ive been able to release about 90% successfully this year. Unlike Common Milkweed, this species doesnt transplant well and should be started from seed. The curved, upturned pods are thought to resemble antelope horns. Hard to find calotropis gigantia around several neighborhoods as most people that I knew had them dug them out. Hope this helps! Check out these directions for rootingtheyre pretty much the same, but I used all purpose potting soil along with some extra perlite. This year our giant milkweeds are 4 to 5 feet tall with leaves as large as those on a rubber tree. It started with the best of intentions. However, your native monarch butterflies will also feed on them and lay their eggs in their trees without any trouble as these plants are the perfect hosts for their caterpillars for a longer period of time. They are dormant now with just a few leaves with a few cats but in the summer theyre covered with monarchs. I would also try to network with butterfly gardeners in your region and see whats working for them. Milkweed gets its name from the latex or milky white secretions produced if the stem or leaves are broken. The stems of this milkweed are green-tinged with maroon and densely covered in tiny hairs. Hi! You will never pay more buying through these links, but I will receive a small referral fee from the company you are purchasing from. Gigantea may be a variety thats best for raising caterpillars. Calotropis gigantea, commonly called crown flower or giant milkweed, is a large shrub or small tree that is native to India, southern China, Malaysia and Indonesia, but has been extensively cultivated in tropical areas around the world.This milkweed family member typically grows to 8-15' tall. White Milkweed has distinctive, spherical clusters of about 30 small, white flowers. Try contacting them via Messages to find out! Giant Milkweed aka Crown Flower. I was also given a couple of little branches, and they are doing very well, Just stuck them in some potting soil and kept them moist. Marketers of Tropical Milkweed seeds will use the names Mexican Milkweed, Bloodflower, Mexican Butterfly Weed, Mexican Orange Milkweed, and Semi-Tropical Milkweed. Typically, one Green Milkweed stem will produce a single cluster of small flowers. It grows best in dry soil of various types, including sandy, rocky, and clay soils. Posted: February 28, 2021. Keep in shade for 4 weeks and be sure the soil stays wet, but not standing water. I find myself transplanting caterpillars from my tropical milkweed to the giant milkweed. I am on my 2nd batch and only 2 are possibly sprouting. Its large taproot gives it excellent drought resistance. Like other milkweeds, Antelope Horns flowers attract a variety of pollinators. With powerful tools and services, along with expert support and education, we help creative entrepreneurs start, manage, and scale their businesses. Was told there can be problems moving monarch caterpillars from tropical to giant (the change makes the caterpillars vomit.) Monarch larvae can ingest the OE parasite by eating infected milkweed plants, crippling them as adults. $5.00. As a reminder, it is ideal to grow . Please. Thanks, Conni. The flowers attract various insects, including bees, wasps, butterflies, skippers, beetles, and flies. I live in SW Florida. Ive been putting them in potting soil but have less than 50% success rate. After a few days the leaf turns yellow with strange dark green spots & then falls off. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are also attracted to the plants fragrant flowers. they go through the tropical faster so when I put them in my cage I have a giant milkweed in a pot since that lasts longer. Although the task seems daunting, it is not too late to help monarch butterflies. Weird. It carries a parasite of Monarch Butterflies called Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, or OE, which can cause defects in the wings of Monarchs. Look for Purple Milkweed in open woodlands, ridges, thickets, meadows, prairie openings, stream banks, and wet meadows in the wild. Cut back the entire plant by one-third to one-half its previous height in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges. Did you see tons of aphids on them? It is native to Asia and tropical Africa. Tropical milkweed is native to thetropics and it is adapted to grow year-round. The fragrant flowers are greenish-pink, pink, or purple and give way to 4-inch seed pods in the late summer and early fall. Its the last resort though, they seem to prefer the tropical, then the native swamp and only eat these very tough leaves when its the only milkweed in the yard. Its great for planting around ponds or streams on your property. These clusters are called umbels. This makes it less appealing to Monarchs and other moths and butterflies as a host plant than other species. Aquatic Milkweed produces umbels with about 25 flowers. I just replanted it yesterday and discovered that it had developed essentially no new root system. when I bring the plants home I started spraying all the leaves with a hydrogen peroxide solution 1 cup peroxide to 1 gallon of water. Original Price $105.99 Check out: There are two giant milkweed bushes growing outside next to the entry doors to the big wooden plant building in Balboa Park..right in front of the koi pond, They are about ten feet tall with purple flowers. We've sent you an email to confirm your subscription. Its only been a few days. The leaves are oval, about six to eight inches long, and dark green. Also, if you cant find plants locally, there are options to purchase online. I put m/w cuttings in vases, place the vases in the shoe box, and place all in the cage. (20% off), Sale Price $0.90 I am surprised to hear it is spreading in your region. Although it has fairly specific requirements, Aquatic Milkweed can be grown in home gardens in the right climate. Im going to try the hydrogen peroxide therapy. Eventually, they split open, revealing seeds and fluffy white material called coma that allows the seeds to disperse on the wind. The flowers are typically white or light pink. (Im zone 10b), Hi Beth, if you prune it, it will likely have a bushier growth habit. The tallest stem is shy of 2 feet tall. It blooms from May to September, forming flat-topped clusters of small greenish-white flowers on the end of each stem. The giant milkweed for monarch butterflies is a native to India, Indonesia, Malaysia and China. Our C. procera responded well to slow release fertilizer. I use these. Always a big problem here. All parts of the plant are toxic, due to the presence of several cardiac glycosides[ 299 ]. Weve always got so many caterpillars and not enough food for them. Growing to 25 tall in some areas, this non-native milkweed grows the height of a one story building in areas of the US where winters are warm and the plant does not freeze to the ground. I will be looking to purchase a plant to obtain it. What is your opinion on this? The plant is also known to cause allergic . Its a statuesque plant that likes part shade, sandy soil, and fairly dry conditions. I am in Naples, FL and have grown Giant Milkweed for 3 years and it survives and blooms all year. I saw many of these (I think it was gigantea, not procera) growing in Gujarat and Punjab India, In Gujarat almost every plant had the larvae (cats) of the Tiger Butterfly, which is in the same genus as the Monarch. Could it be something else? Typically, orders of $35 USD or more (within the same shop) qualify for free standard shipping from participating Etsy sellers. . Regards, JoyceAnn. He said their method is very successful. The plant is blooming and growing but keeps getting strange brown spots on the leaves. Original Price $1.50 Gonna grow them in the containers to overwinter in the greenhouse. Now, they are growing tall and fast. The nonnative scarlet milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) and giant milkweed (Calotropis procera) also are larval host plants. It often receives monarch eggs and caterpillars in our northern US garden. Fill out the requested information. Click on the carousel image to display a larger version (if available). I will happily dig them up and replace with the native if that is better. This species is relatively easy to grow from seed. I have a large healthy C gigantea bush that has a lot of action. In addition, this plant is highly drought tolerant and thrives in full sun. Called a local nursery and they confirmed the opinion. As the name suggests, Showy Milkweed features flashy pink and white umbels or clusters of small flowers. Wow, fantastic information. The flowers can be purple or white and are five-pointed in shape and look like little crowns. Thanks to this website and purchasing the cage here, our son is on his way to releasing the 25th butterfly (today) since he started last October 2019. This species is a good choice for low-maintenance gardens as its long taproot allows it to tolerate drought well. My giant milkweed has a bunch of rust colored spots all over the leaves. Giant milkweed makes an excellent specimen plant in Florida-Friendly landscapes between USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11. I read in one of your answers that CG does not produce seed in the US. I lived in zone 9, between Ocala and Orlando in Fl, a very small town. Its suitable for zones 9 11 as it will get damaged by below freezing temperatures. This will differ depending on what options are available for the item. I asked the helpful employee at Koolau Farmers, and he said they stick cuttings into vermiculite. It didnt 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! I wonder where the folks selling it on Ebay get their seeds then. Since I cannot expect seeds I am planning to propagate with cuttings. 35 people have added this plant to their wishlists. Sadly, this species of milkweed is considered endangered or of special concern in parts of its range. I have been trying to identified this plant since last year and finally thru the Agriculture Center in my town contacted someone in Missouri and they were able to identified it and they sent to us two links, your website and another from the Agriculture center in Missouri. Calotropis procera, on the other hand, is also a nectar source for monarchs, hummingbirds, and bees. Also, one of the posts state that CG and Calotropis procera are the same, that procera is the obsolete name for CG. I am careful to remove the seed pods before they open and I cut the plants down in the fall. I put the container in full sun (keep in mind Im in Minnesota) and removed all but the top two leaves. Original Price $19.99 (15% off), Sale Price $1.99 Over the years Ive also noticed that tropical milkweed seems to grow better (lush, full leaves) in partial shade. Thanks for the information! Courtesy of Houston Arboretum. I make sure theres no caterpillars on it at the time just in case and I was told that it will not affect any eggs. Water only when the soil starts to dry out 2. In 2020 alone, purchases on Etsy generated nearly $4 billion in income for small businesses. It is noted for its upright growth, milky sap, pale purple or white crown . The Green Comet Milkweeds copious nectar and sweet fragrance attract many pollinators, including honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. I Love MonarchsFrom The Bottom Of My Milkweed! Many sellers on Etsy offer personalized, made-to-order items. The blooms of the Common Milkweed plant are clusters of tiny flowers on stems that radiate from the larger central stem. Thanks for this website and all the information, Shalom!, Maria. Antelope Horns, also known as spider flower, tends to sprawl toward the ground instead of standing upright. I keep the plant in the worst possible conditions. Hi Brenda, congrats on your move to Florida. So I bought about 8 plants. Keep in mind that it is an aggressive spreader by seeds and underground rhizomes, so you may not want to choose this milkweed if you have a limited area for gardening. Will my plant die? I plant in potting soil with peat moss. Stock Images, Photos, Vectors, Video, and Music | Shutterstock Hi Anita, Iam so elated that we have this giant milkweed in our area.I work at Indianna,Riverside ,would like to know if I can get a plant cutting from you. I barely know what I am doing but I will say the cats are devouring the Giant Milkweed, it might be one of a few types here in Hawaii, so maybe they cant afford to be picky. I am not sure, Hi Belinda, any continuous growing milkweed species should be cut back annually to prevent the build up of OE spores and other pathogens. This milkweed species is especially notable because it can survive periodic droughts and even occasional mowing. At first, the flower buds are green but turn white before blossoming. By Lizzie Wade. I just killed a large caterpillar by switching from tropical to giant. Our plant identifier with database of more than 17,000 species is also the best place to Ask the Botanist, get plant watering recommendations, adjust your plant care schedule, try disease identification, and much more! I love collecting monarch eggs and growing them to butterflies, but Im afraid they are going to stop laying eggs with the leaves all looking so bad. 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