I would like to find out the best milkweed plant species to grow in SoCal. I have an asclepias curassavica silky deep red that the nursery here told me was appropriate but a website says that is not a native but a South American transplant that is not suitable because it encourages the monarchs to stay here and not continue on to their regular Canadian habitats. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Welcome to ATP Chris!

I found this document that should answer your question.

California Pollinator Plants Native Milkweeds

http://www.xerces.org/wp-conte...

Thanks xeramtheum, just the info I was looking for. Guess I was right about the curassavica so going to go for the true California natives.

Glad it was useful ... you did notice that there were seeds sources at the end?

Xeramtheum said:Glad it was useful ... you did notice that there were seeds sources at the end?

Yes I did thanks and already got an enquiry into them

California Native Milkweed Species:
Broadleaf milkweed, Asclepias latifolia
Butterfly Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior
California milkweed, Asclepias californica
Cutler's Milkweed, Asclepias cutleri
Davis' Milkweed, Asclepias cryptoceras ssp. davisii
Desert milkweed, Asclepias erosa
Greene's milkweed, Asclepias californica ssp. greenei
Heartleaf milkweed, Asclepias cordifolia
Mexican whorled milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis
Mojave milkweed, Asclepias nyctaginifolia
Pallid milkweed, Asclepias cryptoceras
Parish's woolly milkweed, Asclepias vestita
Pineneedle milkweed, Asclepias linariaa
Rush milkweed, Asclepias subulata
Serpentine milkweed, Asclepias solanoana
Showy milkweed, Asclepias speciosa
Spider milkweed, Asclepias asperula
Whitestem milkweed, Asclepias albicans
Woolly milkweed, Asclepias vestita
Woollypod milkweed, Asclepias eriocarpa

Hi growmilkweedplants,
Your name's perfect for me. Welcome aboard, just joined myself. So what does "ssp" after some of the names stand for? Have you grown all these and where? In fact what part of the country are you in? I have no green thumb so just looking to grow a number of the easiest, most suitable plants for my area (So Cal) and for monarchs. Appreciate any and all advice from you. Thanks for posting the list.

ssp stands for subspecies.

Thanks Horntoad.