Welcome back! I hope the new year is off to a good start for you!
I would like to introduce you to Giant Milkweed (Calotropsis gigantea). I was not familiar with Giant Milkweed until I came across it at my local farmer's market. Boy, was I excited! I imagined Giant Monarchs (milkweed are host plants for monarchs) coming to visit this plant. I immediately purchased a couple and planted them in our garden.
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| Giant Milkweed on the left |
Giant Milkweed is also known as bowstring hemp, crown flower, lechoso, and swallow wort. It is native to Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and India and thus prefers zones 10a-11. It can grow up to 6 feet in Florida with leathery pale green leaves and white-lavender flowers. Giant Milkweed will produce fruit (similar to a large pod) that contains seeds in white fibers. As with most Milkweeds, it prefers full sun and drier soil. You can trim it back to encourage a bushier plant. Beware: its sap is poisonous!
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| Local friends: there is a lovely specimen on Park Avenue in Winter Park |
Posts
Wow, this plant looks very different to our common Scarlet Milkweed plant. I don't think it is in the same plant family. Will be interesting to see how the Monarchs like it.
ReplyDeleteIf you are growing Asclepias curassavica (common name Scarlet Milkweed, this plant is Calotropis Gigantea (common name Giant Milkweed) two different families but both milkweeds and both loved by Monarch Butterflies
DeleteRecently, a woman in my neighborhood brought me 5 cuttings of this plant. She thought it would be great for my homeschool gardening. I've successfully "rooted" them and was looking up information about their growth, care, etc when I stumbled upon your blog! I'm in Florida too (DeBary)! So I've "liked" you on Facebook and I'm putting your button on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being here!
Hi Michelle, Can you please share some tips for propagating Giant Milkweed? I'd like to do that too. What is your blog's address? Thanks for reading!
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteCan you share any tips on propogating giant milkweed from seed. I bought some seeds from what I think is a good source with no instruction.
Thanks Mark iatmiami@aol.com
I am in Deland and really need to purchase more Giant Milk Weed I only had 3 I came to area with and my caterpillars this year devoured them to a point of no return... Thank you for any info for plants or seeds locally. Triciasmith4269@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHello Tricia, I saw Giant Milkweed plants last week at Palmer's Garden & Goods (www.palmersgarden.com). I have never grown them from seed but have had good look propagating new plants from cuttings. The plants I saw at Palmer's were pretty large so maybe you can buy 1 or 2 and start some cuttings. Also, Luka's Nursery (http://www.lukasnursery.com) usually has them too. You can check out their Butterfly Encounter too. Thank you for reading my blog!
DeleteTricia, I have also purchased Giant Milkweed at the Winter Park Farmer's Market (see top pic on this posting). I don't think they sell it weekly though and i don't know who you would call ahead to find out if it is available. But it's a great farmer's market and worth the drive.
DeleteI enjoyed your blog very much. Thank you for posting. Carol and I have grown the giant for several years. When the monarchs are reproducing they have used this species to lay and the caterpillars have thrived. From our very unscientific observations they seem to be just a tad healthier. We are going to try to propagate.now that we have some advice from other comments.
ReplyDeletehello sonofwilliam, thank you for writing - my readers seem very interested in giant milkweed and i appreciate any comments about it! PS use some rooting powder if you try to grow giant milkweed from cuttings - seems to help a lot!
DeleteI've had great luck rooting common milkweed plants using rooting powder. It's so hard to dig up the deep horizontal roots, so I just pull small plants straight up & dip the vertical roots in rooting powder before planting. Now I'm trying to find out if it's safe for monarchs to eat the plants. Do you know? (I'm in Wisconsin, where the milkweed is just starting to pop up. No monarchs yet!)
DeleteWe rooted giant milkweed recently here in south Louisiana, using garden soil in cell packs. We cut lengths of the stems, each with two nodes. One node went into the soil, one above. The upper nodes have leaves, but I think it's too early to plant in the ground. And I'm not sure how this plant will do here in the winter. Is this the same plant that forms a small tree in Florida?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know of anywhere near St Petersburg, fl that might sell giant milkweed?? I would like to try it =o)
ReplyDeleteDolins nursery on 62nd Avenue and 9th Street had some a few months ago. Not sure if they still have them but they did.
DeleteDoes anyone know of anywhere near St Petersburg, fl that might sell giant milkweed?? I would like to try it =o)
ReplyDeleteThere is a tropical plant shop on Racetrack Road next to the Oldsmar Flea Market that sells it. Sorry I don't remember the name of the place. I am in Tampa and it grows great. I find the monarchs will lay eggs on the tropical over the Giant but you can move them as cats and they will eat the Giant just fine. It lasts linger too
Deletelast longer*
DeleteI wish that I could get giant milkweed easier down here in S. Florida! The nice people at our NuTurf gave me some cuttings, which have rooted and started to grow. I also planted some seeds yesterday, as I'm desperate because of all the caterpillars I have to feed. lol! Went out today and bought 3 more regular milkweed plants, and 3 the day before. When ever I'm able, I collect the seeds from the pods, that's if they're not eaten first!
ReplyDeleteWe carry giant milkweed at Flamingo Road nursery in Davie
DeleteWhere can I get some of this giant milkweed?
ReplyDeleteI planted giant milkweed in a large container. Should I let it dry out then give a good watering? Leaves are yellowing & falling off.I just planted it last week. I'm in SW Florida.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where I can get giant Milkweed in The Daytona Beach Florida area ?
ReplyDeleteI'm growing cuttings from the Giant Milkweed and do not have anything that looks as nice as your pictures. My cuttings and a large potted plant only have 2 to 4 leaves on top and then all bare stems. They are in Ocala, full sun most of the day, planted in pots with fresh potting soil that has fertilizer to feed them, and they get a short watering from a sprinkler system twice a week at night with or without rain. Any ideas on what I'm not doing right to get more leaves on these plants? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have several giant milkweed plants, and tropical milkweed. What causes the red spots on the leaves, then they turn yellow?? How do I treat this ??
ReplyDelete