Asclepias californica

Anyone grow this?
Know where seed may be had?

Asking for a friend and heck -- maybe myself. nodding
This is one I have not tried.

Searches on the internet draw mostly blanks, though Xerces says it is widely distributed.

Thanks

I actually I have this growing wild in my pasture. I haven't ever been able to get seeds from it, maybe that's why the seeds are so hard to find. I have also tried to move it with no success, the roots are deep and hard to dig down to. It's just starting to come up here now, it's about a foot tall. I'd say seeds would be the best bet at this time of year but that if someone has roots available in fall that would probably be better.

You have inspired me to do my best to get seeds off these this year. I will also try to dig some roots. If I am successful I will contact you.
They are blooming now so it will probably be near the end of summer. I'd love to move some of this into my butterfly garden area.

I would just love some. The other stuff you sent is mostly doing very well. I will have to check the specifics and let you know!
Well - yeah on the seeds. Not the root stock - I would hate to be responsible for killing a plant that would likely die in transit.

Thanks for remembering this post! No one else responded, so I guess no one but you grows it. If I get my hands on some seed, I WILL do my best. Of course I will have to winter over plants in my basement or garage. I did so with many tender MW this past year and pretty much every thing made it but Calotropis gigantea. It bit the dust in late winter and did not come back from the roots.

cheers

David

Hi - any luck harvesting California Milkweed seeds? I'm looking for some to plant in my garden. I've been looking for seeds going on a few years now, lots of dead ends!

Thanks,

Brian

If possible, I'd also like some seeds from Asclepias californica. I'm growing several different kinds of milk weeds for the monarchs. I'm in California, so it is native to the area.

For anyone who gets seeds, don't forget, this is a perennial, and will likely need the cold treatment in the fridge for many weeks, to simulate winter, before trying to grow them.

I'm just getting started with this, and in three weeks already attracted a monarch, I hadn't seen one in years. I've got about 11 caterpillars now. I'd be willing to trade for other types of seeds, but probably wouldn't have those until next year. I ordered seeds for Heart Leaf, Woolly, narrow leaf, and swamp milkweed, so hopefully next year will have some of my own seeds. But get seeds to DavidLMO and Brian first! Oh, and I agree, don't harm existing plants. I just need seeds. Thanks for anyone that can help.

I wasn't able to collect seeds for this. They are just not as obvious as other milkweeds. I'd be shocked it they survived your zone, David, they are native in like zone 9.
I do have California (Mexican) narrow-leaf, Asclepias curassavica (both the orange and the yellow), and as soon as the pods open I'll have Gomphocarpus fruticosus and Gomphocarpus physocarpus. The later are large plants, good for masses of Monarchs! In fact I have several catapillers on them even now. The Gomphocarpus can be cut to the ground in winter and will come back from the roots. Check out my new seed sales site on ETSY, RobinSeeds. We have a good sale going, but I also trade for seeds directly from this site if you have something interesting to trade.
Dee

Oh I just thought of a fun one for anyone wanting to grow in a pot. I have freshTweedia caerulea seeds. These can be grown in a 3 gallon pot and moved in out of the frost in winter, they seem to take a light frost but can be picky. The flowers are a forget-me-not true blue and the pods are large. They say they are a vine, but I've never had one get over two feet tall, they just don't send out side shoots so they look kind of vine-like. I've grown them for like 5 years now, I like them, although they don't get as large as I'd like, LOL. They work well in a mixed flower border or with a low growing ground cover.

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Of course they would not survive ---- here ---- outdoors. That is what the insides of houses are used for here in Winter.

I have both the Gomphocarpus here in the ground and in about 3 weeks I will pot them up. Neither are hardy here in Zone 5B.

I had tons of Cats on the fruticosus. Unfortunately 3 inches of rain in 20 minutes wiped away ~ 12 of them. Wahed away - literally (that was from your seed).

You are now part of RobinSeeds? Cool. You guys moved to Etsy? Sale?

WRT Zone 9 plants, I have maybe 5 - 6 dozen. Counting my little tykes grown from seed, I am up to 27 or so Plumeria.

DomehomeDee said:Oh I just thought of a fun one for anyone wanting to grow in a pot. I have freshTweedia caerulea seeds. These can be grown in a 3 gallon pot and moved in out of the frost in winter, they seem to take a light frost but can be picky. The flowers are a forget-me-not true blue and the pods are large. They say they are a vine, but I've never had one get over two feet tall, they just don't send out side shoots so they look kind of vine-like. I've grown them for like 5 years now, I like them, although they don't get as large as I'd like, LOL. They work well in a mixed flower border or with a low growing ground cover.

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I started these from seed last year and over-wintered in basement. Have in a pot which I will bring back in to my basement next month. Mine only got ~ 20 inches tall and no they do not vine per se. I put in stakes and tied them to the stakes. So far only got one bloom. Cute though - cute blue - not as bright as Plumbago though (which I also have and which also is not hardy here.)

astrosteve said:

For anyone who gets seeds, don't forget, this is a perennial, and will likely need the cold treatment in the fridge for many weeks, to simulate winter, before trying to grow them.

If they are native, why would they need the cold treatment? Are they only native in Northern CA?

I know where everyone can get asclepias californica seeds!!!!