Will Common Milkweed seeds be viable if the pods were spraye

[Tree-o]

Hello!

I am trying to collect Common Milkweed seed here in South Dakota. It has exploded everywhere this summer. Unfortunately, many have been mowed down or sprayed. But... it keeps trying to survive!

I have picked pods that seem like the plant might have been sprayed. There could be damage because of the bugs.

I have a large area that a kind man has allowed me to pick, but I think there were areas sprayed for Thistles. I just need to know if the seeds will germinate if the pods had received any weedkiller spray.

Thanks for your help!

[Paul Cherubini]

If you collect the seeds when they are brown, they will be OK no matter what was sprayed on them.

[Mona Miller]

If you know that herbicides have been used on the field, I would not use the seeds.

More research is done to prove that pesticides/herbicides are okay than on the effects of these products.

[branduin]

I would tend to think the seeds would be fine if they were already brown and also had the protection of the outer pod to protect them from any overspray. The only way to find out is to plant them though. You can put them in the ground now for plants to come up first thing in the spring or you can plant them next spring if you don't have a place ready for them at the moment.