(Im zone 10b), Hi Beth, if you prune it, it will likely have a bushier growth habit. Water only when the soil starts to dry out 2. A few years back I planted giant milkweed and its flourished. White Milkweed has distinctive, spherical clusters of about 30 small, white flowers. The leaves are oval, about six to eight inches long, and dark green. Original Price $105.99 The beautiful flowers are fragrant and are ideal for cut flower arrangements. This website and all content Copyright Native Plant Society of Texas. Gently spray the soil and leaves daily, making sure . Collected in Maui Hawaii in early 2022. Can be grown in an island (container). It contains a lot of valuable information. At home gardens, Zizotes Milkweed can be grown from seed. Home | 30 Milkweed Plants: List to Attract Monarchs and More | Calotropis Gigantea, Calotropis gigantea: Crown Flower, Giant Calotrope, Giant Milkweed, Gigantic Swallow-wort. It is just limping along. It does well in poor-quality or dry soils and is very drought-tolerant once established. Click here for the original image. Hi Brenda, congrats on your move to Florida. Im not sure how it will like our shortened growing season in Minnesota, so you might want to try that one for yourself. Hi Britt, Im not sure there are pollinators here for C. giganteaI havent seen any in our garden. Works for me. My crown plants are looking quite bare. C. Procera is not the same plant. When I came home to Riverside CA, I was driving around one day and spotted a huge specimen of this growing a few miles from me. United States, Hawaii, Maui Co., Molokai, Molokai . I have always had a black thumb, but I do have an aquaponic system that gives me fish-poop water for my plants which helps a lot. I was excited to see the crown flower in Hawaii, and learned about Monarchs and caterpillars there. Most of mine pupate just fine other than a few that sometimes fail to emerge from their chrysalis or have really wonky wings. Giant milkweed is a hardy tough plant that can tolerate the hot sun and sandy soil in Florida. Growing Calotropis gigantea in The Villages, FL (zone 9A). Aiton giant milkweed. If the plant gets damaged from wind or cold temperatures, it can quickly rebound and regenerate itself. Each day I am collecting at least 5 cats of various sizes to move into the cage. It is native to Asia and tropical Africa. Weird. Rebecca Blackwell, STF / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3. Tia is a Residential Horticulture Extension Agent in Hillsborough County. $2.99, $5.99 I currently have 22 caterpillars that just molted into 3rd instar. Has this every happened to you? Look for Purple Milkweed in open woodlands, ridges, thickets, meadows, prairie openings, stream banks, and wet meadows in the wild. The plants are also hosts for Monarch, Soldier, and Queen butterfly caterpillars. When viewed from a distance, these plants resemble a field of antelope. Wait for that. Hi! Use giant milkweed as a specimen plant in your Florida-Friendly Landscape. Ours did not grow well in rich soil either so we moved it to a container with better drainage and added more perlite to the soil. The opposite leaves are oblongobovate to nearly orbicular, short-pointed to blunt at the apex and have very short petioles below a nearly clasping, heart-shaped base. Plants & Diseases Plant Identifier Plant problems After reading many of the entries on this site, Im thinking of taking it out of the soil and just placing it in water, or using an entirely different type of soil. If you have already purchased tropical milkweed, you can help monarchs by remembering to cut back your plants in mid October each year to promote monarch migration. 108 FRESH White FLOWERs Giant Milkweed Calotropis Gigantea Madar Mudar Arka Aak Biduri Shiva Flower 5 out of 5 stars (466) $ 36.00. First, Tropical milkweed is so hardy it doesn't readily die-back in the winter. good luck! I am in Naples, FL and have grown Giant Milkweed for 3 years and it survives and blooms all year. It is hard to get the seeds to germinate. Since it doesnt die back and can bloom late, the plant itself may also confuse Monarchs by signaling a breeding season when its time to migrate. Im perplexed. By spring, youll have an easier time finding cuttings and/or plants: I just got one of these from my local nursery and it appears to be healthy and ready to grow- already lots of flowers on it. Flowers: lavender purple/white or all white. Im glad to hear I can grow them here! Aloha Marcia, Kailua, Oahu is zone 11a for future reference. now whenever any of my plants start to look funky I spray them with the peroxide and make sure I saturate the leaves upper and under. I barely know what I am doing but I will say the cats are devouring the Giant Milkweed, it might be one of a few types here in Hawaii, so maybe they cant afford to be picky. In the garden, you can grow Green Comet Milkweed from seeds. All rights reserved. Please reply. The flowers are fragrant, and individual flowers look a bit like crowns. All parts of the plant contain toxic cardiac glycosides, which can cause nausea, diarrhea, weakness, and confusion in small amounts, and seizures, heart rhythm changes, respiratory paralysis, and even death in large amounts. So they dont topple over like you suggested. Unlike many other milkweeds, this species is easy to prevent from spreading. Barbara Keller-Willy encourages gardeners to plant . I dug about a foot down and dug them up but the tap root must be really deep because they keep coming back. Stock Images, Photos, Vectors, Video, and Music | Shutterstock By Lizzie Wade. The plant is also known to cause allergic . we live in the East part of San Diego, zone is 10a 0r 10b. Put cuttings in wet vermiculite with root hormone and roots appeared after 3 days. It was wonderful to be able to take a big leaf and throw it in my cats container. JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. The purpose of the Native Plant Society of Texas is the promotion of research, conservation and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach and example. The flowers are full of nectar and have a sweet fragrance that attracts bees, wasps, butterflies, and ants. It started with the best of intentions. If the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off, it means it is getting too much water. Hi Conni, I would guess it would grow well in your region, but I would ask others with first hand growing experience in your region. Affiliate Disclosure, 2023 Monarch Butterfly Garden- Save the Butterflies, Start or Improve your Monarch Butterfly Garden, 30 Milkweed Plants: List to Attract Monarchs and More, Get Giant Milkweed Plants or Seeds on Amazon, More Calotropis Gigantea seeds or plants on eBay. Hi Nathalie, Im not sure where youre located but most people in the US report no seeding with gigantea. Original Price $1.50 Calotropis Procera is a similar species . I use a 2ft mesh popup cage I purchased off of Amazon, and I use a cheap dedicated hand vacuum to clean the frass daily. Just curious. Although it has fairly specific requirements, Aquatic Milkweed can be grown in home gardens in the right climate. So can anyone advise about where these like to be planted? Theyre made up of 20 to 80 small, pale green flowers. G.A. Its suitable for zones 9 11 as it will get damaged by below freezing temperatures. Please advice me. Like other milkweeds in Texas, the blooms are clusters of smaller flowers. Green Comet Milkweed doesnt need rich soil and will tolerate sandy or rocky soil with low organic matter. Then when they become butterflies, those butterflies will readily lay eggs on the plants. Growing to 25 tall in some areas, this non-native milkweed grows the height of a one story building in areas of the US where winters are warm and the plant does not freeze to the ground. can any one tell me about the life cycle of this plant? Perhaps a lack of native pollinators. It grows best in light to moderate shade but will tolerate full sun. It is native to Asia and tropical Africa. Looking to start at least 5 more plants. Will my plant die? I just took a stem cutting of our procera and it was about 4 4 or 5 leave nodes. Hi Dorhugs, you could always try cutting back your plants and then use tip 4 on plants and soil: Hi! It is a perennial shrub that grows in tropical and subtropical areas to 15' tall and 15 wide. Its a statuesque plant that likes part shade, sandy soil, and fairly dry conditions. Please keep us posted. Giant Milkweed for Monarch Caterpillars. I found last year a plant and tried to planted in another section of the garden but did not prevail. Posted: February 28, 2021. Thank you. The leaves are narrow, up to 8 inches long, and fold inward along the middle vein. Blooms all season. Hi Vicki, if you use rooting hormone powder and place it in a peat moss mix this is supposed to be optimal for cuttings. The nonnative scarlet milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) and giant milkweed (Calotropis procera) also are larval host plants. (40% off), $3.98 To the above discussion, just to be clear: Giant Milkweed is Calotropis Gigantea, not Procera - procera is commonly called "apple of Sodom, Sodom apple, stabragh, king's crown, rubber bush, and rubber tree", according to Wikipedia. This is my first time to have giant milkweeds in my garden in SW Florida. Monarch Butterflies and other insects consume milkweed and store the compounds in their bodies. It is also drought-tolerant and has few pest or disease problems. Green Milkweed can be easily grown from seed in home gardens. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. You might also contact a local nursery to see if they have other ideas. Giant milkweed roots were found to have few branches and reach depths of 1.7 to 3.0 m in Indian sandy desert soils (Sharma 1968). Sometimes you have to prune to keep plants under controleven milkweed! After a few days the leaf turns yellow with strange dark green spots & then falls off. Is that true? Good news! What length should my cutting be?. Annual in colder zones with overwintering. The flowers are white or yellow-green with a purple tinge. Heres more info about monarch diseases: 7 Common Monarch Diseases and caterpillar Killers. It thrives in dry areas with limestone soils and grows in large clusters. Many sellers on Etsy offer personalized, made-to-order items. This type of data sharing may be considered a sale of information under California privacy laws. The flowers are different. I am not sure, Hi Belinda, any continuous growing milkweed species should be cut back annually to prevent the build up of OE spores and other pathogens. Good luck! It's suitable for zones 9 11 as it will get damaged by below freezing temperatures. Hi Marcia, Im in Kaneohe! We have lost 90% of the monarch population in the last 25 years. Good luck and keep us posted! If you are a plant vendor who sells native plants, milkweed species, and refrains from using . I live in SouthEast Florida right before the Keys, so my results may not be typical to yall in Minnesota, but I had 98% success in propagating Giant Milkweed from cuttings. Texas Milkweed (Asclepias texana) 1 gallon for $8.88 prices valid 4/22/16 through 4/25/16 This is a new milkweed we. Giant Milkweed. I have been spraying my milkweed with 2 parts water 1 part milk and have seen some good fungus control, but not all. Whats the best to to grow my supply of crown flower? Thank You very much! Ive been able to release about 90% successfully this year. Its about 7 feet tall and is needing propped up ! Perennial: USDA hardiness zones 10-11 (lows -1.1 C or 30 F), Native to Africa, China, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Height: 8 to 10 feet for a large shrub or small treetaller in tropical zones, Spacing: at least 6 feet, 8 for perennials, Flowers: lavender purple/white or all white, Constant bloomsthroughout the season when starting with mature plants, Large, thick leaves can sustain more monarch caterpillars, Great option for adventurous gardeners looking to try something new, Not enough data from North America growers monitor for potentialissues. The blooms of the Common Milkweed plant are clusters of tiny flowers on stems that radiate from the larger central stem. Height: 8 to 10 feet for a large shrub or small treetaller in tropical zones. Sale Price $90.09 Those partners may have their own information theyve collected about you. Aquatic Milkweed can only grow in areas where the soil is continuously wet! Unlike many milkweed species that prefer full sun, White Milkweed typically grows in open woodland and along woodland edges. Thanks for the information! By propagating your plants, you can instantly multiply the number of plants you have in your home without buying new one Knowing how to water your houseplants definitely requires some experience Plants must have light, moisture and nutrients to grow. We also created 2.6 million jobs in the U.S.enough to employ the entire city of Houston, TX! Calotropis gigantea. I live in the Cocoa Beach area of Florida. I am releasing an average of 2 butterflies per day, have about 20 crysalis, and usually about 20 to 25 cats. To ensure youre planting milkweed that will help your local ecosystem and attract native pollinators, always choose a native species! Aiton - giant milkweed P: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T. I have a large healthy C gigantea bush that has a lot of action. Plants from moist sites tend to have rounder leaves, while plants from dry sites have long, narrow leaves. Late this summer, there were few caterpillars and the Monarchs preferred the Tropical. Check out: There are two giant milkweed bushes growing outside next to the entry doors to the big wooden plant building in Balboa Park..right in front of the koi pond, They are about ten feet tall with purple flowers. Tropical milkweed is a large, showy milkweed with lovely yellow and orange flowers. This beautiful wildflower is an essential host species for Monarch Butterfly caterpillars which feed on the leaves. Very easy to root from cuttings. It can be grown in full sun or partial shade. It hasnt taken a tree shape as the photo shows, but they do get 8 9 ft. tall. Neutral: On Sep 17, 2009, Dinu from Mysore, Hi Joyceann, if you are just getting started I recommend the post I linked below on starting your butterfly garden. Growing calotropis gigantea from seedsunfortunately only one sprouted, then four of calotropis proctera and i just started to transplant them into bigger pots, but Im wondering if this kind of milkweed have a tap root or not.any suggestions??? The curved, upturned pods are thought to resemble antelope horns. But, not all milkweeds are made alike. However, it is still sometimes used, and resident butterflies and other pollinators frequent its flowers for nectar. Butterfly Weed is an excellent choice for gardens and or wildflower meadows. Plz reponse. Was told there can be problems moving monarch caterpillars from tropical to giant (the change makes the caterpillars vomit.) There are affiliate links across this site that go to products I know and love, or are suggestions from trusted third-party sources. This may seem like a crazy question if youre just getting started with native gardening. Why would you want to plant a weed?! Im not aware of any vendors that currently sell this. Recently this journey has become more treacherous and less successful due to habitat loss, illegal logging, widespread use of pesticides, livestock raising, and deforestation. It often receives monarch eggs and caterpillars in our northern US garden. Butterfly Weed also does fine without any fertilization but grows best in rocky or sandy soil. Milkweed gets its name from the latex or milky white secretions produced if the stem or leaves are broken. Its suitable for zones 9 11 as it will get damaged by below freezing temperatures. Giant Milkweed Calotropis gigantea 10" inch pot FREE Shipping East Coast and Central States 5 out of 5 stars (1.5k) Sale Price $71.99 $ 71.99 $ 89.99 Original Price $89.99 . I only recently became aware of the parasite when I started seeing Monarchs come out all crunched. There's no better way to learn about attracting butterflies than at the center of Enchanted Gardens from Erin! Potential predators have learned to steer clear of Monarchs to avoid this dangerous and bitter poison! good luck! Eventually, they split open, revealing seeds and fluffy white material called coma that allows the seeds to disperse on the wind. This is not true for most. Please let me know if this is true. It is also drought-tolerant and has few pest or disease problems. I also live in S. Florida where the monarchs lay eggs year round in my garden. Then replant in my own sterilized pots with my compost or other potting soil that I know is free of bacteria and fungus. Under Add your personalization, the text box will tell you what the seller needs to know. Its brought back several plants that look like they were dying. Dont know if this is the height of the season, the winter has been pretty mild, but the cats seem happy! Milkweed grows throughout the US and is essential for the survival of monarch butterflies. Our C. procera responded well to slow release fertilizer. Thank you! Is it ruin or it takes time to grow. More on milkweed from UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Wed be interested to hear your findings. It grows wild in arid regions of Africa, Asia, and India. Do you have better success catching and releasing? Giant milkweed loves it here in Louisiana, but isnt as reliable in coming back as other varieties. This non-native milkweed plant has become popular in recent years because of its flowers bright red coloring and how easy it is to plant and maintain. I just yesterday placed it in a native soil mix which contains less mulch, and a little more sand, and perilite. Prone to aphids like most speciesagain, keep an eye on your plants. Wow, fantastic information. Then cut back stems to the new growth and the plant will take off from there. Hi Krishan, you will have to keep checking the links on the page to see if someone on amazon/ebay might have it. I will happily dig them up and replace with the native if that is better. He fell off the leaf I put him on and died where he lay. My two suggestions to see if you could get better results: 1. Calotropis gigantea, commonly called crown flower or giant milkweed, is a large shrub or small tree that is native to India, southern China, Malaysia and Indonesia, but has been extensively cultivated in tropical areas around the world.This milkweed family member typically grows to 8-15' tall. Hi Ayesha, Im not sure where youre located. Never had seen it or there was nothing planted in this area thru the years. Found something you love but want to make it even more uniquely you? (15% off), Sale Price $1.99 Caring for cuttings: Place milkweed cuttings in a shady area outside. But milkweed isnt a weed at all. 138 people already have this plant In the garden, its easy to cultivate in average, well-drained soil. Written by Amy Barton on September 2, 2015. Therefore, it can be found in floodplains, waterway margins, marshes, cypress swamps, ditches, and wetlands in the wild. Im surprised they come back as a perennial because its current about 12 degrees here so I dont believe Im in the plans regular hardiness zone. Thanks, Conni. Its large taproot gives it excellent drought resistance. It is a perennial shrub that grows in tropical and subtropical areas to 15 tall and 15 wide. And, keep reading to the end to learn about a kind of milkweed you want to avoid! Aloha, I live in Kailua, on the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. We also created 2.6 million jobs in the U.S.enough to employ the entire city of Houston, TX! (BTW, what zone is Hawaii? I have managed to keep it alive but it has been a struggle. Is the cutting/in water method or seed method better? The cats love it. Survival Tips for Indoor House Plants when Youre Gone for More than a Week. Native Landscaping Certification Classes B-B-B-Bird Is The Word! At first, the flower buds are green but turn white before blossoming. I would like some information about the root system of these as here in south Florida we have sprinkler systems underground and the wrong root system can destroy your system. When my plants close to being stripped of leaves to feed them I use butternut squash. Weve always got so many caterpillars and not enough food for them. Thanks!! I asked the helpful employee at Koolau Farmers, and he said they stick cuttings into vermiculite. This native flower is a great low-maintenance choice for the home gardener. Steer clear of all of these! If so, how many times do I water them in a week? I have never had seed pods. They will readily eat them then. To let healthy growth emerge in case the leaves/stems have OE spores 2. All You should know about Giant Milkweed (Calotropis Gigantea) > how to care and characteristics PlantIn Our best expert are here for your plants! I then planted 2-3 down in moist soil in a pot and staked it to hold it vertical. Hi Carol, I will be posting some overwintering updates soon. Is rooting media the same as rooting hormone? Fantastic informationthanks for sharing Judith! Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions. Captcha failed to load. Has anyone else experienced this? 1 of 3. We also created 2.6 million jobs in the U.S.enough to employ the entire city of Houston, TX! I am having wonderful success. So plant it in a dry spot or be sure not to plant it deep and have it on a mound. Yes, the caterpillars prefer other Milkweed in my garden, but do eat the Giant as well. Can You Identify These Milkweed Impostors? There are tinges of purple at the base, which is why this perennial is also called Redring Milkweed. Otherwise, pathogens can build up on them. Malcolm Vidrine's talk on Milkweeds & Monarchs in April, 2015 at the Native Plant Society of Texas, Houston Chapter: video and power point (to view power . Nor did whether the stem was still green wood or old brown wood. (50% off), Sale Price $7.97 Beth S. Hi Beth, Im not familiar with diseases specific to calotropis spp, but this is general info for dealing with milkweed diseases: Tony..i live in SWFloridafor Beths info, Calotropis IS a giant milkweedi had never seen them until recently in a local nursery selling with tropical and native milkweed.. Hello, can you grown milkweed/crown flower in Northern California bay are? I am in South East Florida in Zone 11 I believe. As the name suggests, this moisture-loving perennial is typically found growing wild on creek banks and ditches or in openings in swamps, bogs, marshes, and other wet areas. Interestingly, the yellowish-green leaves of this species vary in shape depending upon their habitat. Then water them? Thank you for your support.   United States   |   English (US)   |   $ (USD). So I bought about 8 plants. when I bring the plants home I started spraying all the leaves with a hydrogen peroxide solution 1 cup peroxide to 1 gallon of water. I find myself transplanting caterpillars from my tropical milkweed to the giant milkweed. Medium-dry to dry soil is best. Another type of nonnative milkweed is the Giant Milkweed, also known as Crown Flower and scientifically known as Calotropis gigantea. remembering account, browser, and regional preferences, remembering privacy and security settings, personalized search, content, and recommendations, helping sellers understand their audience, showing relevant, targeted ads on and off Etsy. The stems of this milkweed are green-tinged with maroon and densely covered in tiny hairs. They have nice plants here and we are taking one home. Hi David, if you cut back infested areas of aphids and use isospropyl alcohol to treat the rest, you can eliminate them indoors permanently..good luck! I purchased a live Calotrolis about two years ago. Hairy Balls Milk Weed Seeds Balloon Plant, Butterfly Garden, Butterfly Weed, Fur Balls, Cotton-Bush, Oscar, Giant Swan Milkweed, Gomphocarpus physocarpus Grown & Shipped from The USA. I make sure theres no caterpillars on it at the time just in case and I was told that it will not affect any eggs. I am hopeful it will thrive here in San Diego. It grows quickly if you start with rooted cuttings. Regards, JoyceAnn. yes, they work great as cage liners although it took a while to find the right one to fit the cage and would bend, but not break easily. Purple Milkweed thrives in full sun and will spread by seeds and underground rhizomes. I keep most of my plants in containers so I can move them into the cage easily if I need to but Im about to put a few in the ground as they are getting rather large. Whorled Milkweed thrives in various habitats, including fields, pastures, roadsides, dry prairies, dry slopes, woodlands, and meadows. Now its obvious its not the tree type but the shrub type. Fuzzy textured leaves. I am on my 2nd batch and only 2 are possibly sprouting. The seller might still be able to personalize your item. Nathalie. I then made dozens of pots with half topsoil and half potting soil mixed up. Large native bee species regularly visit the blooms. This article should provide you with some of the basics to get growing in the right direction: Hi Terry, I remember hearing this from others too. Giant Milkweed aka Crown Flower. The frass got so messy that I then got a wire cage that has a pull out drawer for easy cleaning, I covered it with window screen material and moved the cats in there. I also lived in Hawaii and now live in Eastvale (near corona). The individual flowers look like tiny champagne flutes! Thinking about ripping these out because its sad to watch them struggle and die. Plants grow slow in Mililani Mauka due to it always raining though we mix the soil with perlite and fertilize with Miracle Grow liquid every other week. In addition, like other milkweeds, this species is an important host plant for the caterpillars of Monarchs. If Im collecting cats to bring in I will feed them these large leaves when the get to 3rd or 4th instar. Did you see tons of aphids on them? Monarch Caterpillar on Giant Milkweed, Calotropis gigantea at MCMGA Greenhouse, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Conroe . Zizotes milkweed on special this week, along with some nice blooming nectar plants. My question is my butterflies are emerging misshapen and deformed. We've sent you an email to confirm your subscription. Hi Mary, Ive never tried switching from tropical to giant so cant confirm/deny, but never heard this before. good luck! Will you please advise on how to take care of these plants. Try using a different browser or disabling ad blockers. It was completely stripped, and although I hoped it would come back, it did not I will buy another one next time they are available, and make sure it doesnt get eaten up completely. Giant milkweed makes an excellent specimen plant in Florida-Friendly landscapes between USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11. With powerful tools and services, along with expert support and education, we help creative entrepreneurs start, manage, and scale their businesses. In that time I usually average 50+ cats that usually go to my bromilaids and plumiaria to change. I read in one of your answers that CG does not produce seed in the US. Use this map to find local suppliers of native, neonicotinoid-free plants and/or seeds. Monarch larvae can ingest the OE parasite by eating infected milkweed plants, crippling them as adults. Thanks for any help. Do I understand correctly that the danger occurs when the Monarch ecloses and the spores then fall from the wings..is that the primary means of contaminating the caterpillars? i want to work on that plant for research purpose and how i can grow it. The health care giant booked a $68 million loss on a one-time charge in the quarter related to its baby powder, and revenue grew more than 5% to $24.75 billion, which was better than anticipated. This species thrives in wet, mucky clay soils. $1.99, $3.99