Common Milkweed

[jw62]

What is the best way to remove the white hairs from common milkweed seed?

[ButterflyLady_IL]

Are you talking about the fluff of the seed? Within the seed pod and attached to the actual seed?

Separating the seeds from the pod and fluff -
I have had success dropping the ripe or dried pods into a paper sack- folding the top down and stapling it closed. Leaving it to dry some more ---a few days/weeks/months. Then shaking the bag well. Really shaking it up, until I hear the seeds rolling around in the bag. Then I cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag and shake the seeds out into an envelope or container. The fluff stays in the bag.

I have been able to harvest seeds this way. Just have a terrible black thumb when it comes to growing the seeds into plants.
Any assistance available for growing seedlings out there?

[Marian]

I think you must be trying to hard, Milkweed reseads itself and will also come up from the root system, spreading all over.
Just throw seed out, and let Nature take care of it, it'll grow. Marian

[ButterflyLady_IL]

You're right. I may have been trying too hard-
I cleared an area last fall and had it plowed up. I scattered Common Milkweed seed in the fall, thinking that's the natural way, as well as tried planting seeds in rows....... nothing came up. In June I tilled it again, and planted flowers, and summer squash in the area, thinking I wasn't to have milkweed there. Thinking also that the milkweed that had been there for a while may not come back after all the tilling and plowing.

I was surprised by some persistent Common Milkweed plants in the flowers and squash- just not in the rows I had planted. I guess the tilling didn't disturb the old roots much.

We've had our first frost-the squash is done. I intend this week to mark the milkweed plants - with row markers and till around them, and try again to add more milkweed.
The bed is somewhat of a rectangle with one wider end... along the drive and bordered by a fence. With a 20 year old lilac bush at the wetern edge, so it's a protected area and has been great for the six milkweed plants that have grown there for many years.... amongst whatever I put in there.
I had just hoped to add more milkweed plants, and native nectar sources to make it the "Monarch Garden".

Right now- I have Common Millkweed in a variety of places- in the dog pen, at the edge of the vegetable garden, in the daylily bed, along the road, in the horse pasture, etc... I'll keep trying to make the Monarch Garden concept with natives.

[butterflylover]

I have a whole bunch of Common Milkweed seeds if there is anyone out there looking to get a hold of some. Just drop me an e-mail we can work out arrangements to get it to you.

[Keith Petrosky]

There were hundreds of milkweed plants by me, but the town plowed every single one down.

[ButterflyLady_IL]

Thank you Butterflylover, for your generous offer.
I will send an email your way.
Keith, so sorry to hear of the plowing and destruction of plants. Did they know what it did to the Monarchs? I found sometimes people just do NOT Know enough about Monarchs to know they Need the Milkweed.
Could be an opporrtunity for an educational campaign.

[Keith Petrosky]

Nobody does know apparently. When I was tagging last year, the cops parked at the park near me looked at me starnge, and some adults said I should not be catching "bugs" on public property. I wish there was something I could do.

[Pat]

I still have some tropical asclepias seeds left if anyone needs.

[Teresa]

I've gotten my cousin hooked on "monarching" She is running down the road grabbing milkweed right in front of the twp people who are mowing. She's all excited

[Keith Petrosky]

I think by mowing the lawn then spreading seeds is bad, the area for seeds should have long grass, like natural habitat. Thats where mine grow and also in the shade of other plants.

[ButterflyLady_IL]

Thanks to the offers of others I did get some tropical milkweed started from seed, and the Common Milkweed seed also germinated this year.
I guess I was trying too hard.
I also threw Lilliput zinnia seeds out with the common milkweed and have a nice nectar & milkweed plot.
Adding this new stuff to what We'd had before We are Now Monarch Waystation #17!! I was thrilled to take the opportunity to become "official".
Here in Western IL we've been a drought situation since late April. Yes I've been watering my new plot regularly. I also had a bit of luck transplanting the new milkweed plants after they were a foot tall.
And wonder of wonders, I'm finding all kinds of caterpillars and eggs!
I feared with the drought many of the natural nectar sources would be sparse, and I might not be in for a very good tagging season. But with a leap of faith, I ordered tags, and now have nearly 50 crysalis hanging in cages so I can tag the newly emerging adults.

Jaboa--- don't laugh at your cousin- I've been known to unload a van load of kids to help grab milkweed in front of mowers in August when the farmers mow the ditches.
Just to rescue the potential butterflys.
Sometimes we don't even find eggs or caterpillars on the plants we save... but sometimes we do!

[Teresa]

She did save some She brought me about 5 babies and a bunch of eggs. She even took some mature cats, seeds and a plant to NC to try and start a congregation down there.

[ButterflyLady_IL]

Congratulations to her! And to you for getting her "Hooked".
Spreading the word -(education) is a Big part of Conservation for all the Monarchs of North America.
Good Job!