5. The professionals at Mercer use a misting table to water seedlings. Milkweeds (Asclepias) get their name from the sticky white sap that oozes from the leaves when they are damaged. Copyright © 1999 - 2020 Buchanan's Native Plants, All Rights Reserved. Its narrow leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season. (Most local monarchs raised in the summer and fall are non-migratory.). A: About 35 milkweed species are native to Texas, and about half a dozen grow in the Houston area. 1001 Preston, Suite 950 Grow at least 6 plants together so your monarch caterpillars don’t run out of food. How To Grow Milkweed From Seed. More than 100 species of this herbaceous perennial are native to the U.S. and Canada. 2 talking about this. Want to grow your own milkweed? 713-755-6444 This can cause potential negative effects on monarchs including: Plant four to five seeds per tray about ¼- to ½-inch deep and lightly cover with soil. In spring, your milkweed plants will likely arrive in a dormant state, with no green leaves above the soil line. Native milkweed seed is expensive–as it should be. Or, block out a corner of a garden bed to plant the seeds. For more information, check out the resources below: (Information provided by Mercer Greenhouse Manager Jacob Martin, TMS Grower Brandon Hubbard, and Mercer volunteer Don DuBois). Any species in the milkweed family will do, but the easiest to grow is the common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca. Thanks for taking the time to post it! The long-blooming plant features tight flower clusters packed with nectar, and the leaves are filled with a milky substance that caterpillars adore. 2 of 3 Barbara Keller-Willy encourages gardeners to plant Texas' native milkweed, which is better for butterflies than the tropical milkweed sold in most nurseries. The flowers are excellent for cutting. This species is native to parts of North America. OE is concentrated in non-migratory monarch populations in the Houston area. Place the cell trays into a warm area or greenhouse. Q: The most recognizable form of milkweed in Harris County is the tropical or Mexican milkweed, which features yellow or orange flowers. The seeds should settle at the bottom of the bag. Each paper towel should receive 8-10 seeds. Only seeds should be left in the strainer. After two to three weeks, the seedlings should be about 2 inches tall and ready to transplant. Photo: Julia Robinson / … Fill a seed starting tray with high quality seed-germinating soil like Jolly Gardener soil, which we use at Mercer. When tropical milkweed is planted in the southern United States including here in Houston, these plants continue to flower and produce new leaves throughout the fall and winter. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. Because most milkweed varieties have different growing conditions, gardeners rarely plant them in the same location. Buchanan’s Native Plants Young milkweed plant before flowering. 713-755-6444. Milkweed has a reputation for being difficult to start from seed. Milkweed seed can be planted directly in soil, or started indoors. Milkweed is slender and doesn't need much room to grow so go ahead and plant many seeds! A. commissionercagle@hcp4.net, © Harris County Precinct 4, All Rights Reserved, You must be logged in before using WishList. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Should I be concerned about this? A: Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (or OE) is a parasite first discovered more than 20 years ago, but it’s only recently received attention. Hours: 10 am – 6 pm It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. Dump your sand/seed mixture into a strainer and rinse with water until all the sand has been washed off. Make sure to label each bag with the name of the species and the date. Check out this step-by-step guide for growing milkweed in the Gulf Coast area, including zizotes milkweed (Asclepias oenotheroides), aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), and green milkweed (Asclepias viridis). Now that fall monarch migration is in full swing, we’ve compiled a list of your top questions about monarchs and milkweed. After at least 30 days, remove the seed bags from the refrigerator and start preparing your planting trays. Nodding milkweed (Asclepias glaucescens) 13 Habitat: Along stream beds and dry rocky slopes in open pine, juniper, or oak woodland canyons in the Chisos, Davis, and Guadalupe Mountains in the Trans Pecos Ecoregion. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. If it doesn’t freeze, be sure to cut back your milkweed before spring. The life cycle of Monarchs starts by adult Monarchs laying eggs on the milkweed plants. We respect your privacy, and your email address will not be shared. 611 East 11th Street Store the bag in your refrigerator. Wear gloves. To prevent the parasite from spreading, cut back your tropical milkweed before each spring so that fresh growth will be available for the spring migration. Butterflies of Houston & Southeast Texas by John & Gloria Tveten – this paperback book is an invaluable resource for identifying and learning about butterflies in our area. Most often in Houston, we plant members of the Asclepias genus: native A. tuberosa, commonly called butterflyweed, with fiery orange-red blooms; orange and yellow Mexican or tropical milkweed … This is perfectly normal! The consistency should be like a sandcastle, not too wet or too dry. Some species grow exclusively in specific regions while others will thrive in jus… If you have lone plants growing around your yard, check them regularly and transfer monarch caterpillars to other milkweed, if necessary. Milkweed pods of Asclepias viridis. If you can’t harvest the seeds right away, place a net over the pod to prevent the seeds from blowing away. 1001 Preston, Suite 950 The most prevalent milkweed species at nurseries around Houston is Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica). For monarchs, the healthiest varieties of milkweed include green milkweed (Asclepias viridis), zizotes milkweed (Asclepias oenotheroides), and aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis). A: Growing tropical milkweed is fine, especially in areas with frost. Grow diversely. You can sow milkweed seeds by scattering them on the soil surface 1/4-1/2 inch apart, and then cover them with about 1/4 inch of additional soil. See Kim’s story. 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. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. Plant milkweed — it’s the sole food source for monarch caterpillars and is attractive to many pollinators for its nectar-rich flowers. Planting Time: Milkweed plants can be planted in spring or fall. You can plant milkweed starter plants purchased at specialty nurseries. Houston, Texas 77002 For monarchs, the healthiest varieties of milkweed include green milkweed (Asclepias viridis), zizotes milkweed (Asclepias oenotheroides), and aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis). A: Milkweed seeds aren’t viable if you harvest them too soon. Milkweeds are herbaceous perennials that flower throughout the summer, set seed and then naturally die back in fall, going dormant to sprout anew in spring. In a bag with the simple addition of milkweed depends on your zone which... 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Which features yellow or orange flowers cm ) more soil under ideal conditions can be expected to live approximately...
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