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butterflyman

Hand Pollinating Milkweed

butterflyman
12 years ago

I did a little investigating on what is involved in hand pollinating milkweed - it's quite involved - click on the link below for my posting about it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hand Pollinating Milkweed

Comments (5)

  • fighting8r
    12 years ago

    And here I thought it was just a little powdery stuff getting carried around. Actually someone posted something similar recently, and I have been wondering about how to get my giant milkweed to make seed, but I do not see the same structure in the Calitropis gigantea (sp?) flowers. Anyone know about that one?
    kelly

  • butterflyman
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I don't know the answer to your question, but here's another thought. What I've read is that plants don't do well if you try to self-pollinate with the same plant. A lot of times the seeds don't develop properly. You might try a 2nd plant to help in the pollination process.

  • imabirdnut
    12 years ago

    I had great success with a small water color brush. I read the instructions you linked but I just swished it in my tropical milkweed flowers & it made a huge difference last season with lots of seed pods after there were none forming!

  • fighting8r
    12 years ago

    thanks all, we have done the paintbrush thing, among two different plants (I hve only two). So far, no seed pods, although the flowers have fallen off. We'll keep at it, just in case!

  • Jay 6a Chicago
    5 years ago

    A paintbrush won't work. Milkweeds have pollen sacks like orchids.

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