My thanks to fighting8r and butterflyer1966 for your helpful comments and link. I've looked and looked at photos on line but each looks a bit different and this plant had a white bloom. There might have been a touch of color around the eye but I'm not certain. Also, the edge of the leaves looked a bit wavey. The color of the bloom sort of threw me off, even though there was plenty of milk dripping from the cuts. I just didn't want to feed them something that would harm them.

fighting8r, you are right. They're eating it!. Whoo hoo, this will give me another few hours of food. The plant was little and was the only one in the area. I walked and walked, looking for another one. I found this one in a newly graded area, where a new street had been put in. There's nothing there but the street and a few acres of clearing. At least now I have some idea of what to look for.

My thanks once again for taking the time to help me.

Mary

Looks to me like asclepias variegata, otherwise known as Redring Milkweed.

Danny, it was growing near the roadside, on flat fairly recently graded land and smack dab out in direct and hot sun, no shade or protection for several hundred yards.

I hope they don't get back in there to work before it has a chance to set a seed pod. It looks like the area may be a commercial development. I left the bloom and two much needed leaves (needed by my babies, that is) hoping it would set seed and drift off to make more plants. The location a few miles from my home but I can find the spot again easily and will keep check on it to see if a seed pod developes. If so, you may certainly have some seed if you'd like. The seed pod would need to remain on the stalk until it was dry and cracking open, correct?

Mary

I'd be over there digging/pulling it up and putting it in a pot to bring home!
Not that I'd ever do that
But I would actually.

In all seriousness, I do grab 'em by the roots on the rare occasion that I find one growing somewhere that I know it will be mowed or run down some way. They always last till I can get them in some water (I've never killed one this way).

Keep in mind this is scarlet milkweed, A. Curassavica, I'm talking about, and I find it sometimes in a mowed field adjacent to a big butterfly garden, so I grab it before it gets mowed. Perhaps curassavica is more capable of recovery from violent uprooting than other species.

I'd be interested to know if my "rip it out by the roots" method is effective on other milkweeds? Anyone use this method?

Beware - milkweeds don't do well when dug because they are tap-rootped. I remember someone else who tried to dig one up and discovered that the small plant had a tap-root about 2' long. Watch it closely for seed development and you could even bag it to be sure none of the seed is lost and also as a marker for easier locating. Once the milkweed seed is ripe, it has a tendency to split open quickly and disperse the silky fluff with seeds attached on the slightest breeze.

What a find! Good luck.

Susan

I wonder how long it takes for the bloom to form a seed pod? The bloom would have to be pollinated, too, if it's to set seed so I couldn't cover it now.

People riding four wheelers, construction workers with heavy equipment and old ladies pinching off it's leaves. Poor little plant doesn't have much of a chance any way you look at it.

Mary

A. variegata is known as white, redring, green-flowered, or variegated milkweed, so the whitish flowers would fit.

My question is: Where is the red ring? Is it the circle of stamen tips?

Here is a closer look (crop of original photo)of the bloom, stem and one leaf. Look near the top of the bloom at one of the little open "whatever they're called" (don't want to get too technical :-). Maybe the name 'red ring' comes from that bit of color around the white.
{{gwi:539839}}From __Garden Flowers - plants

Mary,

This looks like Redring. The ring is right around the stamens and doesn't show unless the flowers are open fully. My Variegata flowers didn't open fully and looked like the blooms were only white.

I am going to suggest that since this is in an area that is going to be developed, that you take a sharpshooter shovel and dig it out with lots of dirt around the roots. Bring a pot to put it in. It will be able to overwinter in the pot. Otherwise, you may lose it. My plant did not make seed pods, although I saw insects on the flowers. I'm not sure what it takes to get this plant to form pods.

I know that Variegata is supposed to be a shade lover, but it will show up in the sun and survive. This plant is doomed unless you help it. After you dig it up, water it well and make a temp "greenhouse" with some type of plastic container that you can help control the humidity. Remove periodically so as not to let moisture collect (mold). If you get all the roots, that's what counts. The top may die, but the roots may survive.

This is just MHO. Hope I'm not offending anyone, but this plant is a goner otherwise. I'd try to contact the developer and tell him what you want to do. I'm sure he won't have a problem getting rid of a "weed"!

I wish all developers would call in the local native plant societies to survey properties and collect plants before excavation!!

Sandy

I'm with Sandy. I keep thinking about that sinking feeling when you go by one day and it's all been bulldozed.

Sandy,

This has to be a first year plant as the ground has recently been worked and the plant is short and only had two stems. I'm sure this little plant will be lost but when is the question. As to the developer minding, goodness, people are riding all over his property on four wheelers, tearing up the ground and any plants they ride over, with nary a glance at them. I'll take my husband with me on the next visit so I can walk further onto the land. I'm a bit nervous to go far when I'm alone. Wouldn't it be great to locate another one like this one.

Mary

Good news! I have permission from the land owner to take all the wild flowers I want from this area. I took a gal of water with a tiny bit of MG flower fert dissolved and soaked the ground around it tonight in case I decide to go early tomorrow morning and try to dig it up. I thought a bit of moisture and food to fortify it for the coming move might help.

Something is eating the blooms on this plant. Maybe this is what is keeping so many from ever setting seeds. Not one blemish on the leaves but the little flower heads are half eaten tonight. I'll bet by tomorrow, most of the flowers will be gone.

Mary

Yay! I am so excited for you. What a find. And getting permission makes you feel good about it (no guilt). Maybe you will find more treasures. This is a good time to find wild asters blooming.

Sandy

In case anyone is interested next spring, or as early as they are taking orders, Pineridge Gardens in Arkansas also carries A. variegata.

Susan

Sorry I never replied to your question but you do need to let the seed pod on the Red Ring Milkweed turn brown them get it. Otherwise the seeds would be to young and would have a lower germination rate. Red Ring Milkweed is already hard to grow so we do not need to make it harder.

My thanks for the comments and advice on transplanting this variety of milkweed. It's home and in the ground. Now I wait to see if it will come back next spring. Had a big shock when I turned the corner and started down the road, there was a front loader sitting about 100 feet from the spot where this little plant was growing. I would have been sick if I'd missed my chance at trying to save it.

I was able to get a rootball about 15 inches across and approx 14 deep and keep it all together. Took me about an hour and a half as I worked carefully so as to disturb the root structure as little as possible. I planted it in a raised bed in native soil with no amendments, trying to keep things much as they were where I found it. The planting site will drain well and will get some sun and some dappled high shade scattered throughout the day.

There are two small stems on it and both have been nipped. Should I cut them back, attempt to take part of a stem and try some cuttings or just leave them as is to winter over.

Mary

How is it doing now? Did it ever produce seeds?

Hi Danny,

Nice to hear from you again. No, something ate the blooms right after I discovered it on the commercial property so it had no chance to make seed pods.

I got permission from the owner of the property to try and transplant it, which I've done. We'll see if I did a good enough job that it grows next spring. If it produces blooms, I'll watch them like a hawk. I grow things that attract lots of bee's so I'm hoping if it grows and blooms, they will be pollinated. I will put a net bag over them to keep whatever likes to eat the blooms or seed pods from getting to them and maybe we can get some seed pods to mature.

If I am lucky enough to have seed one day, I will certainly share with everyone. We need to find a way to get seed of the red ring milkweed and to learn the key to getting them to germinate. We need to get them growing in lots of gardens. It's a lovely plant and native to a large area of our country so I'm anxious to learn more about it and try to get a patch established in my garden.

I've been practicing with different fresh perennial milkweed seeds to see if I can get them to germinate. So far, all varieties I've worked with are germinating extremely well. I had a terrible time feeding the Monarch Cats this summer so don't want to ever be in that position again. Now to get them established so they will come back each year.

Mary

Great that you have the plant. It is a hard plant to care for but I am sure you will do a fantastic job.

As far as getting the seeds to germinate, I had 5 seeds of Red Ring Milkweed and none germinated. We need to research how to get them to germinate and how to care for them.

What Milkweeds are you practicing with? I have grown many Milkweed species and can help you on germination.

I found 3 Monarch caterpillars today! 1 on my Tropical Milkweed, 1 on my Balloon Milkweed, and 1 on my Caribbean Milkweed. They are all 5th instars.

Hi Danny,

Not certain how well I'll do with the Asclepias variegata but I will certainly give it my best shot at keeping it alive. Thank you for your good wishes. Here is what it looked like just before lifting it into the jeep. That is an old bath towel next to it which gives you an idea of the size of the rootball. It took me over an hour to dig around it and then I barely was able to lift it into the jeep. {{gwi:539841}}From __Garden Flowers - plants

Here are the varieties of milkweed I've been practicing on so far this year:

Planted 9-27-2009
These have germinated with excellent results:

Asclepias purpurascens - Eastern Purple Milkweed

Asclepias speciosa - Showy Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata - Swamp Milkweed 'Ice Ballet'

Asclepias incarnata - Swamp Milkweed

Planted 9-27-2009
No germination yet:
Asclepias incarnata ssp pulchra - Pulchra Swamp Milkweed

All of the above were kept in the fridge in a moist coffee filter inside a zip loc baggie for a month before planting into mini greenhouses made out of 2 liter plastic coke bottles. I read on one of the university sites where a light sprinkling of cinnamon on top of the planting medium helped with damping off so I also did that. Don't know if it helped but it didn't hurt as all seeds have popped up in each container that is showing germination.

Planted 10-3-2009:
No germination yet:
Asclepias syriaca - Common Milkweed

The common milkweed seed, which I just received yesterday, I'm trying both by cooling in the fridge and also by planting some seeds yesterday without benefit of cooling, just to compare germination results.

My goal right now is to get clumps of milkweed established in my small garden for the Monarch Butterfly cats next year. If it wasn't for a very nice lady here in in western Arkansas, I'd not have been able to feed the cats to maturity. I never want to be in that position again. I have several varieties of western milkweed seeds but they are not fresh so I'm throwing them away and ordering fresh seed before attempting to get them to germinate.

What is your process for germinating milkweed? Were the five red ring seeds you had fresh? I'm thinking the milkweed seed doesn't have a very long shelf life. If I'm ever lucky enough to have a few to work with, I'm going to attempt to germinate immediately, once I've given them cooling time in the fridge.

Just received these seed and still need to plant:
Asclepias physocarpa - Goose Plant

A very nice lady also sent me some Aristolochia fimbriata-Dutchmans Pipevine-varigated seed and of six I've attempted to germinate, so far I have 5 seeds up and doing well. I'm very excited to have this plant, too, and hope I'll see some Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies in my garden next summer. {{gwi:539844}}From __Garden Flowers - plants

Mary

Danny,

I got so involved in trying to look up all the milkweed names, I forgot to say congrats on the little cats you've recently discovered!

Learning about them this summer and raising them from eggs has made for a great new experience for us. Much more fun to raise plants for something that needs them, rather than just for pretty blooms.

Are you on the west coast? It's beginning to get into the fall here and I hope all the Monarchs around here have taken off for warmer climes. We have one more chrysalis left and he should be getting close to elosing in the next day or two. Hope the weather holds and he can get started south OK.

Mary

> I'd be interested to know if my "rip it out by the roots" method is effective on other milkweeds? Anyone use this method?

It very much depends on the species. I collect species from the Asclepias genus, each has its different growth habits. Species such as Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) have a deep tap root that is difficult to transplant, but is most successfully done when dormant. Commercial and research growers dig up the root system and cut it at 12" ??? lengths and transplant just the root. Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) has a bulbuous taproot, which makes it just as difficult to transplant as Common milkweed, but if the plant is mature enough, it has enough stored energy to survive a transplant regardless the time of year. Other species such as Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) have fiberous roots which are much easier to transplant, and as long as you have enough roots along with the crown will regrow. I recently purchased a (Asclepias longifolia), and my cat (feline) chewed up the leaves. I dug potting soil out to expose the crown, but discovered this species doesn't have one. It appears to have a similar structure as Common milkweed, but only travels about an inch before emerging, so it is more clump forming. Easily this species could not simply be pulled up, but would need a decent sized root ball dug up.

> I have several varieties of western milkweed seeds but they are not fresh so I'm throwing them away and ordering fresh seed before attempting to get them to germinate.
> I'm thinking the milkweed seed doesn't have a very long shelf life.

I've been growing a lot of different species for a couple years now. As long as seed was viable in the first place, I've found that old seed hasn't necessarily died/expired, but just takes longer to germinate. Sometimes months after I tried to sow/germinate them. I come to attitude that if it is a hard to come by species, such as (Asclepias variegata), to simply stop watering them for about 4 weeks or refridgerate them longer, then resume watering in attempt to germinate them.

By the way, if you are intent on throwing away seeds, please send them my way. I'll give them another try. Thanks.

Yeah the tropical a. curassavica is really tough. The other day I pulled up two and forgot about them till the next day, so they laid out in the heat with exposed roots for almost a full day.
Stuck them in some wet dirt and removed the wilted leaves and they are doing well! Didn't even lose many leaves. I'm sure the caterpillars will change that.

Mary, it looks like you did a great job digging up that small A. variegata. Was it growing in a dry and well drained spot? Hopefully it will be happy in its new location and create lots of pods!

I received some seed for A. variegata in fall 2007, and tried to germinate it via winter-sowing in 2008 and 2009. I only got one seedling ever in Spring 2008 which is hanging in there but didn't grow particularly well this year (weather, slugs, weeds, tendonitis, ugh).

I have several young Asclepias purpurascens plants too. The seed was from Prairie Moon nursery packed for 2008, and it sprouted really abundantly in Spring 2008. But in spring 2009, I only got 1 sprout with the same seed. I store my seeds meticulously, so it could be that the seed from this species of milkweed loses viability quickly.

Terrene,

Thank you for your nice comments. It's only because of this forum that I even knew what this plant was; very grateful to everyone for helping and advising me.

After reading about all the difficulty in trying to propagate this plant, it amazes me there are still living plants to be found in the wild. We all need to work to try and figure out how to best propagate this variety so we can get more growing in gardens.

This little plant was sitting out in the hot sun, with no cover for 100's of feet. But I don't know what the property looked like before development began. There was a huge pile of vegetation nearby that contained tree trunks, big rocks, etc., so it may have had trees growing in this area at one time. The little plant didn't look very healthy, with the leaves all wavy on the edges, as if it was stressed from heat or lack of water. But with all that had gone on around and over it, amazed it survived at all. Must have some tough genes. It has sprouted a little stalk since I transplanted it so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it has settled in. Spring will tell the tale. If it puts up stalks in the spring, I guarantee it will be a closely watched plant. :-) {{gwi:539847}}From __Garden Flowers - plants

Please keep us posted on how your little plant continues to do.

Mary

Hi. I buy mini greenhouses like the Jiffy ones and plant my Milkweed seeds there. Last year they all germinated and this year I planted more and none germinated. The seeds will only be a year old this year. I am going to plant more soon and see what happens.

This winter I found some of the A variegata seeds I got in 2007 from ctnchpr. I used the germination method from Butterfly Encounters, one fourth cup of sand in a baggy, add one fourth teaspoon water and seed. Then stratify. So far I have 2 little seedlings up and I have a bunch of "plump seeds." I am hoping that I will get more. This is such a challenging seed to germinate--up there with passifloras!

BTW, I have started all my Asclepias seeds in sand, and I can getting terrific germination--even with plants that don't need stratification. I got the sand, "desert sand" from Lowes.

Sandy

Hi Sandy,

I'm so happy to hear you're having success with your A variegata seeds. I had good luck with some I received this winter. I tried cold treatment in the fridge in a damp coffee filter with vermiculite and the sweet spot for me seemed to be at 8 weeks.

With everyone reporting back on what they've tried, maybe we can figure out what the seed's needs are in order to have the best shot at germination.

Speaking of Passiflora seed, I've had no luck with the Maypop seed. Went ahead and pre ordered a plant for April delivery and will be done with that plant. At least those plants are available commercially.

Good luck with your seedling babies and please let us know how they do. I'll do the same.

Mary

Sandy, that is so cool that you are getting germination on your A. variegata!

Are you planning to eventually grow it in the ground, and if so, in a shady to partly shady spot? Is it an Oklahoma native as well?

Someone mentioned the leaves being unnaturally wavy, but perhaps this is the nature of the foliage?

Susan

Susan,

I hope to get the plants large enough to go in the ground to form a colony. Last year, the plants didn't make it after they germinated. I did, however, purchase a variegata from Seneca Hills. The plant was large with good root system. It bloomed, but didn't produce any seeds. I'm hoping it comes back this year. Won't know until spring. The plant received partial shade as another plant grew up and over it. And, yes, the leaves have a "wave" to them and they are native to Oklahoma.

Right now, I have seedlings of Milkmaid, Viridis, and Hello Yellow doing well.

Sandy

PS Checked on my A variegata, seedlings have died. This seems to be the way it goes. If they germinate, they don't make it to transplant size. =(

Oh, Sandy,

I'm so sorry to hear about your little A variegata seedlings. How far along were they? I've got some that are beginning to grow their second set of leaves and it looks like maybe tiny little secondary shoots are forming at the stem where the seedling leaves are attached. I had to run out and take a look to be certain mine are still standing after reading about your little seedlings biting the dust. This appears to be a very difficult plant to germinate and rear.

I'd think, since your purchased A variegata did so well last summer, that it will come back this year. Hopefully, even bigger and better than last year. I have a little one that I transplanted from the wild and I'm sure hoping it returns. Sooner or later, we'll hit on the best way to handle the seeds, seedlings and plants. Just have to keep trying until we are successful at raising some seed producing plants.

I've got recent Milkmaid and common MW seedlings growing and a lot of swamp Milkweed plugs that were started last year and still in dormancy. Still waiting to see what the plugs do. I can see a little green sprout on one so I'm hopeful some will produce this spring. I ran out of MW leaves last year so plan on having a lot of backup for this year's baby cats. :-)

Mary

Update on little wild A variegata transplant:

So happy to report the wild transplant returned this spring after an unusually cold winter and is now setting what appear to be three flower buds. Hang in there everyone. Working together, we'll get more of these lovely native plants established and producing seed. Good luck with your new seedings this year.

Here is a photo of the first flower buds from the wild transplant I moved to my garden late last year. {{gwi:539848}}From __Garden Flowers - plants

Mary

Way to go!!!

Awesome!

Super!! I need to check my plants to see if they are developing blooms. I've got two plants now. Did your seedlings make it? I sure hope so.

Sandy

Great! Thanks to people like you, many plants that that are rare like A. Variegata can become less rare and endangered. Way to go! :-)

So far, my little A. variegata is doing fine, but I don't expect it to bloom since I just got it this year.

You rock, Mary! As I understand it, fertilization of the seeds done by insects that are often caught in the sticky pollen in each tiny flower, find it difficult to extricate themselves from the flower and die, thus, pollination fails. There must be some way, though, because apparently some viable seed in the wild make it to mature plant eventually. Probably very few based on this theory.

I wonder if it would be more successful with direct sowing in fall rather than babying it along with winter sowing or stratification by other means?

Just pondering.....

The problem is getting enough seed to toy with different methods.

Susan

Susan,

Maybe we'll have some seed from my little wild red ring to try different methods this fall and winter. It appears to me there are going to be at least 6 flower buds! If I can keep things from eating them and then we get lucky and something comes along and polinates some of the flowers so it will set seed pods. SO many things need to happen at the right times. Ha. Anything other than baby Monarch cats that I find on this plant are going to find themselves carted off to a far-a-way wild area.

Mary

{{gwi:539850}}

Was searching through some older threads, and came across this one. Mary, if you're reading can you give us an update on your A. variegata plant? Did it successfully set any seed?

I've got 4 seedlings from Ctnpchr's seeds that sprouted this year - 2 from 2009 seeds and 2 from 2007 seeds (didn't think there were any good seeds left from the 2007 batch!). They are growing in small pots and are small but doing well considering the very hot and dry weather we are having. I'm thinking about over-wintering them in pots this winter and am concerned about the hardiness of this species in zone 5/6.

Last year I had some annual tropical milkweed that I got planted late, so of course, it set pods late. One day we were expecting it to frost that night, so I cut some stalks that had pods on them, took them inside and put them in a vase of water. The pods did indeed ripen, and much to my surprise, one of the stalks even rooted in the water.

So once it sets pods, you could cut off the stalk and take it home and put it in water to ripen. That way you'll get your seeds!

Deanna

terrene,

I'm new to this particular milkweed so don't know how hardy they would be in your zone. My one mature red ring set 11 bloom heads and from those 100's of little blossoms, not one seed pod ever developed. I watched them closely. Nothing ever pollinated them I guess. No wonder they're becoming so rare in the wild. On the first bloom head, I even tried pollinating with a tiny artist brush, but wasn't successful. My redring plants are alive and I guess that's saying something, with all the above 100 days we've had lately, but they don't look great. It's just been a tough summer for all the plants. Most have quit blooming. I still have a few blooms on the butterfly bushes and the tropical milkweed, thank goodness, as the poor little flying things still need nectar.

I think if I were you, I'd at least attempt to overwinter some of your red rings in pots. Maybe even all of them. Then set them out early next year, once the ground warms up. That will allow them to develop a really good root system before the next winter.

Maybe someone who has more experience with these plants in the colder zones will chime in with advice.

Best of luck. Maybe one of us will see some seed pods next year!

Mary

Really hoping for the beest for you and your plant. Keep us posted!!! :)

Can't believe this has been over a year already!!!

I want to bump this up again so those who are interested in preserving this plant can add this year's growing information.

I had a baby who bloomed this spring but no seed pods. The same with the wild A variegata I dug up three seasons ago. This year it put up four strong stalks and lots of flower heads but again, not one seed pod. I watched the flower heads closely and even though some flying insects crawled all over the flowers, there was no pollination. This particuliar milkweed appears to bloom the earliest of all the milkweeds I have. Maybe there aren't enough insects around this early to aid in the pollination.

We had terrible high temps over a long period this summer and it was all I could do to keep the plants alive.

Did anyone else have any luck getting seed pods of this plant?

I also purchased three small A variegata plants from Pine Ridge Gardens this year (all MaryAnn would sell me as I suspect she was trying to make them available to more of her clients). I'm going to overwinter them in 1 gal nursery pots. I haven't decided if I'm going to try growing them in big planters on my deck next year (mostly high dappled shade) or plant them inground. Maybe I should try putting one in ground this fall and keeping two in the nursery pots over winter. What is the key to getting these plants to set seed pods? :-)

~Mary

A baby A variegata - 1st blooming this spring of 2011

{{gwi:539852}}

the wild transplanted A variegata - aka Red Ring Milkweed - blooming 5-24-2011

{{gwi:539854}}

Hi Mary, your A. variegata and garden look great! At least before it got so hot?? Too bad you haven't gotten any seed pods yet.

Well only one of the A. variegata seedlings from Ctpnchr's seeds made it over the winter, and it is small and has been nibbled on by slugs. I also started A. variegata seedlings from another source of seed. They are all planted next to a little stone wall I built last fall. The idea is that the stone will offer some protection from the winter temps by sheltering them from winds and retaining heat to some degree. They are also several Asclepias purpurascens seedlings growing in this spot. I'm hoping this turns into a nice little patch of rare milkweeds.

No flowers or seed pods yet though.

Here's a pic of them.
{{gwi:539857}}

I so appreciate you bringing this post back up. I also purchased two A variegatas from Mary Ann yesterday. I have lost so many plants to the resident gopher who thinks I am feeding him gourmet meals! But, I have 3 alive in the garden that I planted with fiberglass screening under and around them. One thing I have learned about this plant is that it may die back in the summer and reappear the following year. It is pretty hardy if the gophers don't get the whole thing!

I will attempt to hand pollinate any blooms that might appear next year. I did this on my Purple MW and got lots of pods.

Hopefully we can get this plant going at some point. My goal is to get enough to plant them out at our local nature center. I hope I live long enough to accomplish this!!

Sandy

Hi terrene,

I love your new milkweed bed! The wall of rocks is an excellent idea and the plants look so healthy growing inside their protected spot. Please keep us updated on how they do over the winter.

I have one small Purple Milkweed plant started from seed that I transplanted into the garden recently ... and so excited to see how it does. It looks like it will have a larger leaf than the A incarnata. I've also started a few milkweed plants 'Ice Ballet' this summer. I have a few incarnata plants that are two years old and did have good growth this year and one tiny bloom. Maybe next year I'll get to see them bloom, although I mainly want them for the foliage for the little cats. Blooms would just be icing on the cake. I had to leave some little cats outside on their own this year and they didn't fare well so I need to try and get more food growing so I can bring more of them inside next season. Started more A tuberosa that I've got to find a spot for this fall as it has proven to be an excellent nectar source and backup food source. Of course, after a while, one runs out of growing space! I grow a lot of the tropical MW in pots.

My favorite remains the A variegata and someday we're going to see some seed pods!!!

~Mary

Hi Sandy,

Oh, I'm so excited to learn you've gotten some more A variegata plants! Surrounding the root balls with the screening is a great idea. Let Mister Gopher find another buffet table. I hope they do well for you and you're able to provide a source of plants for your nature center. I will contribute seed for your project if and when my plants produce. Sooner or later, we've got to get lucky but like you, I'm wondering if I will live long enough to see it. :-)

~Mary

@mary are your redring milkweed plants still growing??