Butterfly Weed, Asclepia tuberosa, is an orange flowering native perennial. As orange is one of my least favorite colors on this plant, I only got one plant as it is an important butterfly attracting plant. Since I have been reexamining my gardening habits, I decided to give more orange a chance last year when I moved sever of the double orange Daylilies into my main perennial beds. I found them to be not too unpleasant to look at, especially due to their magnificent blooms! So in watching all the butterflies at the butterfly Weed all season I started to think about having more of it. And since I was letting my perennials go to seed, it was natural to let this go to seed also. I could not remember having any Butterfly Weed seedlings and now I know why.
They take forever to form their seeds!! That and all the hosta around here.
Last week the seed pods just started to finally dry and I found one that had burst open and was ready to send its seeds, which are attached to fluffy white parachutes like those of milkweed, waiting for the next gust of wind to float them away. Luckily I noticed them before they were dispersed and I took them inside.
This one had a great spider on it, which wouldn't go away until I got its picture!!
By the weekend more of the pods started to ripen, so I cut the stems, brought them in and placed the stems in a vase with water to allow them to continue to ripen.
As I have been doing with all the seed pods I collect I took them in to my living room to be able to sit on the couch and harvest them.
Well!! That was not the right thing to do. The first one that I opened burst out all over the room. There were little with fluffy parachutes flying all over!!LOL!! Whenever I would try to remove the seeds, they would just pop out all over!! Had to put them in a room all by themselves for a long time out, before I was ready to try again.
I finally figured out a way to harness the white fluff by rolling it all together in one hand, so that I could get the seeds.
And thus my seed offer!! Interesting how few people responded to the offer. These seeds took all summer and September and October to form. Oh well, all the more to plant here for new plants next year!! It is a beautiful plant!!
2 comments:
I love the contrast of the orange flowers against the purple Liatris. Also the difference in leaf textures. Now I know where to plant the seeds you gave me by my Liatris since Butterflies love them so much as well. Thanks so much, I love ALL colors in flowers and don't have a lot of orange. : )
Hi Marna
I don't know how I missed your offering for the butterfly weed seeds. I love this plant - it's so pretty and very interesting!! I'd love to have some if you still have a few. I collected some more cleome seeds, daylilly seeds and the garlic chive seeds you wanted. I'd love to come by and see you this week and drop off what I have for you.
Hope all is well.
Regards,
Sheila
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