http://www.network54.com/Forum/444667/thread/1241216573/last-1241216573/Need+Milkweed+ID+please

Pam NJ 6B

Looks like Mexican Butterfly Weed. Asclepias curassavica. A host for the Monarch butterfly. Not their favorite miklweed but they will use it.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

I think Dianne is right. I don't think it is Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) and the leaves of Asclepias tuberosa aren't opposite like Asclepias curassavica

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Thanks Diane, Penny,

I originally sowed this for the Park I volunteer at, but I have so much I thought I would give a plant to each person that buys something. I only had 2 milkweed plants in my garden last year and had eggs laid on them. They were eaten by birds but I guess you don't need alot to get their attention. I think I read you need at least one plant per Cat.



Pam NJ 6B

Actually Tropical Milkweed is a plant that Monarch lovers do like to grow in mass. The individual cats eat a lot. We fill the beds at Palmyra with it because it is so instant and so lovely.

So Mexican Butterfly Weed and tropical is the same animal?

Pam NJ 6B

For some reason, Asclepias Curassavica has many different "common" names. I'm familiar with it as Tropical Milkweed but I've also heard and seen Blood Flower, Bloodflower, Bloodflower Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Mexican Milkweed, Red Butterfly Milkweed, Scarlet Milkweed, Swallow-Wort, Wild Ipecacuanha... all describing the same plant. There's red/yellow, yellow and orange forms and they're all excellent Monarch host plants. Easy to grow from seed (10-14 days for germination), easy to collect seeds from AND they bloom all summer long and butterflies AND even hummers sometimes visit the blooms. There's also a large black/blue wasp that frequently visits the blooms. It's the Steel-blue Cricket Hunter and it actually deposits its eggs on... crickets. There's your bug lesson for the day

It's probably my favorite plant in our garden because of its color, versatility and low maintenance. Remove the seed pods for more frequent blooms... leave 'em when you're ready to collect the seeds.



Monarch ovipositing on egg on the yellow form



Steel-blue Cricket Hunter

Hello Bud,

Awesome pics as always!!! I got 4 of the Asclepias curassavica from Bustani and I picked up one more at our local nursery for the patio last week which I'll put in the same pot as 2 'Ice Ballet' milkweed.
I had grown 4 Asclepias tuberosa from seed and I just added them in the garden today. I also have 2 Asclepias incarnata 'rose' (pink swamp milkweed)that just started to leaf out which I bought from Lazy S's Nursery last year. We should have a "bumper crop" of Monarchs visiting this year...LOL

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Got some 2 years ago in 4" pots. Silky Scarlet & Silky Gold labeled as Tropical Milkweed. I have had both of these, Common & Swamp Milkweed & the Tropical was where the most caterpillars were. Swamp came in 2nd. All I ever see on my common one is Milkweed beetles. Used to be rare to see 1 but now I have many, many at once.

Here's a pix of caterpillar enjoying the Tropical:



Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

Thanks everyone for your input! I guess I lucked out on that one, such a pretty little flower.

Bud, your pics are awesome and inspiring.

Pam NJ 6B