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Milkweed plant help

Bwhana

Bwhana

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2017
Messages
2,291
Location
Hickory, NC
I put out some seeds from Michigan and Minnesota in the fall of 2018, and got several plants to show and grow last summer, but they never flowered or had pods. They only got about 12" tall. They all came back out this summer and are now waist high, but still no flowers or pods, but I did see a Monarch caterpillar a few weeks ago. For those with abundance of them, is this simply a maturity thing and takes a few years to get going or is it a sunlight thing (they get mainly afternoon and evening direct sun), or maybe they can't take the southern heat? They have also been babied with miracle grow...
be600d2b51557c84d13f26091d543ce1.jpg
 
Bwhana said:
I put out some seeds from Michigan and Minnesota in the fall of 2018, and got several plants to show and grow last summer, but they never flowered or had pods. They only got about 12" tall. They all came back out this summer and are now waist high, but still no flowers or pods, but I did see a Monarch caterpillar a few weeks ago. For those with abundance of them, is this simply a maturity thing and takes a few years to get going or is it a sunlight thing (they get mainly afternoon and evening direct sun), or maybe they can't take the southern heat? They have also been babied with miracle grow...
be600d2b51557c84d13f26091d543ce1.jpg
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Not sure about milkweed but some plants need male and female plants to produce seeds!
 
Bwhana said:
This is about to go off the rails on this site, but I'm going to ask it...How do you sex the plants??!!
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That is a good ? and I see how this could go south quick!! Bahaha Usually there are suttle differences in the two but I am not real familiar with milkweed! I will check and see if i can find out!
 
What I saw said the plants need to be cross pollinated by insects to create seeds!
 
Recurveaholic said:
It also says if the plant is stressed from heat or drought it will not flower!
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That may be the problem with them getting sun from about 2pm-dark, thx. I may dig up the roots this fall and move them to a shady spot and test. The patch I found up the road with flowers are in a hay field with full sun all day, but likely a different local variety that can handle the sun.
 
Bwhana said:
That may be the problem with them getting sun from about 2pm-dark, thx. I may dig up the roots this fall and move them to a shady spot and test. The patch I found up the road with flowers are in a hay field with full sun all day, but likely a different local variety that can handle the sun.
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If you move them make sure to get the tap root because if it breaks they may not flower at all! Good luck buddy!
 
the spots I get mine are in the middle of a field baking in the sun all day. I dont think you need to give them too much shade. Might just need to wait a little longer. The plants i get mine from are pretty big.
 
I'm no expert on milkweed but I'm pretty sure it takes a couple of years before the bloom and pod up. I agree with PEEJAY the plants I get mine from are growing in a fence row in full sun and are much larger plants than those in the pics.
 
Bwhana said:
That may be the problem with them getting sun from about 2pm-dark, thx. I may dig up the roots this fall and move them to a shady spot and test. The patch I found up the road with flowers are in a hay field with full sun all day, but likely a different local variety that can handle the sun.
Click to expand...
I know the milkweed that grows naturally around here is usually located where it is 100% sun, and in existing hayfields. Fields that have been left to regen, or have just gotten overgrown before the farmer can chop will always have it here in Maine. I usually find it on high spots in the hay fields that don't have cattle, around wild briars or fence lines.
 
Tons of varieties of milkweed plants including milkweed vines...mine in my garden took two years to have pods and they have full sun light zero watering and fertilizer
 
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