Seed orders that ship to an address that is clearly a school, library, museum, or nature center will receive 30% additional seed with their order. Three species have particularly wide ranges and are good choices in most regions. All of our milkweed seed is sustainably harvested, pesticide and herbicide free, and from the most respected seed farms in the nation. Monarchs and milkweeds, what gardeners need to know rogers.
Common milkweed is a 3 to 6 tall native perennial with globular heads of lavender to rose flowers. A teacher reads aloud the book that shows the life cycle of a milkweed plant and the life cycle of a monarch butterfly. Easy to care for and very tough, nectarrich milkweed including butterfly weed will bloom reliably year after year. Balloon milkweed, goose plant, giant swan milkweed, hairy balls milkweed. The book lovers ball features a seated dinner, live auction, storytelling from authors, and more. Extremely popular in the cut flower industry for its unusual ball shaped seed pods, and the flower.
Native milkweed plants play a critical role in feeding of one of our favorite winged friends, the monarch butterfly, as well as loads of other pollinators. For best results and to speed up the germination process, place the seeds in wet paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 30 days prior to planting. I save some seeds for planting in early spring in my greenhouse. Our featured speaker will be chris dombrowski, renowned flyfishing guide and author of body of water. Butterfly milkweed for monarchs growing tips and advice. Each seed ball contains a packets worth of seed, rolled with a proprietary mix of organics and clay to provide ideal growing conditions. Imagine butterflies happily fluttering around in your garden from flower to flower. Many thanks to those who helped in the writing of this book. This is an excellent host plant for monarch butterflies. Our selection of milkweed seeds are untreated and openpollinated. It is easy to grow butterfly milkweed from seed sown directly in the garden, and fall sowing will insure a good display of flowers the following summer. While some seed companies specialize in locally native seed, many do not advertise seed origin or ecotype, and it should not be assumed that seeds have been. Single plants are self infertile so plant at least two seedling plants for the production of the round, hairy seed pods which give the plant some of its more interesting common names.
Asclepias incarnata requires at least 30 days of cold stratification before it will germinate. Asclepias syriaca common milkweed prairie moon nursery. On friday, october 23rd, get out and celebrate your favorite books and authors at milkweed editions 16th annual book lovers ball. Asclepias physocarpa ballon plant pods great balls of milkweed. A sage, a seeker, and the worlds most alluring fish. Milkweed seed balloon milkweed gomphocarpus physocarpus previously classified as asclepias physocarpa, but changed to reflect its tropical roots, this variety also has several common names like swan plant, balloon plant, hairy balls, and family jewels. This protective property often results in higher but slower germination rates. Balloon milkweed, goose plant, giant swan milkweed, hairy. Valentine gift ideas for a butterfly lover mothers day gift ideas monarch. We invite you to join us for an inspiring evening celebrating thirtysix years of milkweed editions at the book lovers ball.
You can collect your own seed or purchase seed or plants to add to your garden, or any landscape in your community. Milkweed has milkweed seeds and seed balls for your. Simply toss these seed balls on prepared soil to grow a variety of flowers bees love, including mexican sunflowers, borage, cosmos, asters, coreopsis, marigolds, poppies and forgetmenots. Fill the cups with seed starter soil inside of the tray. We carry an exceptionally wide variety of us native milkweed plants that are hosts for the monarch butterfly. Monarch watch needs seed donations to continue our restoration efforts. Asclepias physocarpa is the former botanical name, goose plant, giant swan plant, hairy balls, family jewels, oscar, cottonbush, balloon plant milkweed plant specs. Includes info on planting times, spacing, watering, soil conditions, and tips for growing from seed. I see that i should soak the seeds 24 hours before.
Gomphocarpus physocarpus has unusual milkweed pods that makes a bold statement in the butterfly garden. I purchased a hairyball milkweed and how its seed pods are starting to open. Species for wildflower seed balls gallery making seed balls. In annual zones, starting with plants is the best option to insure plants have time to seed. My other common milkweed are totally denuded and finished when hairy balls hits its stride. Then plant the seeds in a sunny place about 12 deep and water them for at least two weeks. Get outdoors for some landscaping or spruce up your garden. Cold stratification is the process of exposing the seed to cold and moist conditions to break dormancy. Please note our new address please update any postings. Balloon plant milkweed asclepias physocarpa also called family jewels milkweed, hairy balls milkweed, giant swan milkweed. Swamp milkweed seeds for milkweeds that monarchs love. Milkweed seeds butterfly garden seed balls for monarch.
Robin wall kimmerer at the 20 book lovers ball by milkweed. I also have a third plant that some call fuzzy ball or bouquet milk weed is that plant tropical as well. Butterfly milkweed is also striking with the smoky purple flowers of joe pye weed or purple coneflowers. A seed ball protects seeds from erosion, foraging, and harsh conditions.
The book is about a boy in warsaw, poland in the years of world war ii during the holocaust. Over time he is taken in by a jewish group of orphans and he must avoid the nazis or jackboots while living on the streets with other orphans. Plus, find cookbooks filled with recipes to savor and childrens books to delight the youngest of gardeners. How to germinate milkweeds lady bird johnson wildflower. Monarch butterfly garden kit 28 species of perennial milkweed and wildflower seeds if you grow it monarchs will come kids stem project create a beautiful garden. A seed bomb is a quarter sized ball made of clay, compost and seeds which is used to casually plant milkweed and other native plants. The winner of this item may select a plant, animal, or place as the inspiration, and based on your selection billy will create a oneofakind piece. These seeds will be grown and plants will be sold or donated back to their ecoregions. Milkweed seeds can be very slow to germinate and does take some time and patience.
It can grow in dry, shallow, or rocky soils as well as more moist. Placed in the appropriate soil and climate, they will grow. We really need your help to keep this program going. Contents cover page title page dedication epigraph acknowledgments chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6. Find milkweed plants and milkweed seeds for monarchs 25. Observing the lifecycle of the plant and the monarchs it will attract will provide personal satisfaction for kids ages 1101 while helping to counter increasing threats to our monarch butterfly population. You cant have monarch butterflies without milkweed plants asclepias, and with the recent decline of monarch populations, we need to protect this vital, host plant. Unusual plant forms large rounded seed pods as the name suggests. Also offering supplies and a wide assortment of herb and vegetable seed balls, conservation seed pellets, and much more. Add the seeds, form into golf ballsized balls, and set in a dry place to harden for a few days. Planting milkweed asclepias is essential to creating a habitat for the beloved monarch butterflys survival, as they are the only plants on which monarch caterpillars will feed.
Please use the resources below to see which milkweed seed is needed in your region. The purple milkweed is probably the rarest form of milkweed seed that we have for sale, and the bulk stock that we get from time to time is quickly sold out. Butterfly weed asclepias tuberosa, swamp milkweed asclepias incarnata are considered the. For my monarch populations, this milkweed is important as it still is standing with plenty of foliage late into the summerearly fall. Celebrate the world through literature meet featured speaker margaret renkl and other milkweed authors at our annual celebration of writers, books, and readers.
Indeed once very common, common milkweed used to be in abundance in every farmfield, ditch and disturbed area. Milkweed is vital for our environment as the monarch butterfly cannot survive without it. Check out the listof readers having a ball at our inaugral event in 2000. Eileen nechas, patty beaumont, susan cherner, charmaine leibold, laurie baty, ariel gold. Everything you need to know about how to grow milkweed, including advice on where and when to plant milkweed and end of season care instructions. Hairy balls a different kind of milkweed the garden. Discover books to help you brush up on your gardening skills or provide a deeper dive into garden topics, like pollinators and organic practices. Follow this process and youll soon be on your way to supporting monarchs, bumblebees and tons of other insects.
Joining us from nashville, margaret writes a popular weeky column for the new york times, all about flora, fauna, politics, and. We welcome any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the new monarch watch milkweed market. From the milkweed archive at the upper midwest literary archives, here are the first three invitations to the book lovers ball from 2000, 2001, and 2002. Seed balls contain milkweed seeds rolled with clay. This unusual milkweed goes by several common names hairy balls milkweed or family jewels milkweed. Monarch story get seeds donate store schools habitat projects. Milkweed for monarchs national wildlife federation.
You can make this a reality with the simple addition of milkweed to your garden. Like most milkweeds, swamp milkweed is most commonly grown from seed rather than cuttings. The nondescript flowers start forming pods in september split a hairy ball open and you will find hundreds of seeds. Rain and watering dissolves the clay, allowing the seeds to sprout surrounded by a source of nutrients. In addition to our beloved monarchs, birds, bees, spiders, beetles, and other beneficial insects also rely on milkweed. Common milkweed is one of the easiest and fastest to establish of the milkweeds. Milkweed seeds hairy balls milkweed family jewels milkweed. Milkweed is a 2003 young adult historical fiction novel by american author jerry spinelli. From the milkweed archive at the upper midwest literary archives, here are the first three invitations to the book lovers ball from 2000, 2001. Several years ago i bought 6 plants from a place in pennsylvania, they were called hairey ball milkweed. Simply toss these seed balls on prepared soil to grow clusters of several milkweed varieties. Gomphocarpus physocarpus, asclepias brasiliensis, a. We are proud to contribute to the continued success of this regal creature.
Like other milkweeds, this is an important nectar and host plant for the monarch butterfly. Gomphocarpus physocarpus is a tropical milkweed from africa that is hardy in zones 911. Perennial for usda hardiness zone 8 and above lows 12. Not only will you benefit from the natural beauty, but by growing milkweed, you will also be helping a very fragile butterfly species. We carry everything from common milkweed seeds to purple milkweed. Collaborate with acclaimed artist billy renkl, who created the original artwork for late migrations, on your own custom fine art collage. Support the declining monarch butterfly population by planting beneficial habitat that includes the milkweed plants their larvae need to survive.
The single flowers are pendulous instead of a large ball of flowers in the. Giant swan plant is a host for monarch caterpillars. Milkweed seed can be purchased on the internet from multiple vendors but given some species broad distribution across the united states, available seed may be of nonlocal origin. Free milkweed seed balls and planting instructions with all orders. Butterfly garden book for monarchs instant download. Hairy balls a different kind of milkweed the garden diaries.
569 531 109 1579 347 956 1272 1482 1194 1129 840 1264 50 955 1348 21 1044 1513 7 996 179 458 1454 82 902 1281 52 369 32 919 723 337 1540 133 1320 141 58 680 421 1047 1416 347 946 754 115 1450