Sow it with the fluff. Seeds don't have to be put in the soil or fridge.

Tiffy - do you mean don't wet them down so they make contact with the growing medium? The reason mine are still in a bowl (or actually floating in air just above it) on the kitchen counter is I wasn't sure how to WS them or if they needed to be treated different than other seeds. I only got one flower and one seed pod so I don't want to waste them.

I just recently WS these in a jug. Trudi's list will tell you.

I always clean Asclepias (milkweed) seeds outside, because the fluff tends to blow around. Better yet, if you harvest when the pod is just starting to split, then the silk has not fluffed out yet and you can run your finger inside the pod and loosen the seeds with a lot less mess.

I ws'd Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) in 2008 and sowed them in early Spring and it sprouted very well, so as it turned out they didn't require cold stratification. I store all my seeds in the refrigerator because it preserves their viability for many years, but your seeds should be fine for at least a year or two stored in a dry cool place. You can sow them now or wait until Spring, don't think the fluff would make much difference. Just press seeds and fluff into surface of the soil and cover lightly.

Original poster stated... "Also, when I was googling, I've read that seeds have to be put into the soil immediately or to be kept in the fridge." My comment was in regards to that statement which I believe refers to storage of seeds or immediate sowing. That is not necessary.

When sowing, my best experience has been to sprinkle the A. seeds on the soil, then move them about in the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of moist soil. I have winter sown at least 5 kinds of A. and find that when the seeds are 'mushed' into the soil they germinate a lot better.

I do not keep my seed in the refrigerator, no room. I store them in plastic boxes in my cool mostly dark basement. Though I may lose some viability I still have great germination of even older seeds.

Mushed in huh tiffy? I'll have to add a bit of soil to my current container of these to make sure then.

terrene & tiffy - thanks for clearing that up. It's my first time to WS Asclepias and I really wasn't sure what to do. Did it occur to me to check Trudi's site? DUH, no! I'll put the seeds with the "Does not need cold strat" group to WS later. And, unless I pull off the fluff, these seeds do NOT sprinkle, they float!

Thank you all for all your advices. Since I've pulled fluff from some of the seeds. I'll sow one container without and one with the fluff. We'll see if there are going to be any differences.

Gardenweed - I can't be sure that all Asclepias seeds will sprout without cold stratification. I had received those A. tuberosa seeds in a trade, and they were supposed to be A. curassavica (tropical), that's why I originally WS'd them in April. Turns out they sprouted abundantly but they were A. tuberosa! Asclepias seems to be a genus where some seeds will sprout without cold stratification, but germination may be improved with some cold strat.

Another note about Asclepias seeds - sometimes a pod/seeds can look pretty normal, but they aren't viable. This could be because the pods were preyed upon by the Milkweed bug, whose larvae eats the seeds.

Trying to sow with fluff - quite an experience
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Experiment is set and ready to go outside. I'll let you know in a few months...

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If anyone wants a tip i picked up this last fall (when out and about collecting asclepias seed) - To remove all the fluff, spread out all your seeds onto a baking sheet or something non-flammable, and touch a lighted match to the fluff. POOF! It burns really fast, and sparkles- and you are left with almost no fluff on your seeds! Very fun, and fast.

Adamark, that fluff looks very....fluffy! Are you putting 3 inches minimum of soil in your 2 LTRs?

Shmooey, I am going to have to try that. It doesn't burn the seeds huh?

Hi Mark, et al,

You can dry the seeds and then sow, they'll be fine.

Saving asclepias seeds can be a fluffy bother if you don't catch the pods just as they're opening. I check them daily and look for the seam to start splitting open. I take the ripe pod and with my fingers split open the seam and extract the seeds and the stem they're attached to, it looks a lot like a pine cone. With one hand a grasp the stem top and with the other I grasp the seeds and slide them downwards and they all strip off cleanly from the central stem. This detaches the seeds rapidly from the would-be fluff.

It may sound confusing, especially if you don't have a pod in front of you to visualize the moves, but doing it is much simpler than describing it.

T

trudi - live and learn. This year, I'll do exactly as you descibed. Thanks, adamark

I'm going to try native milkweed this year, thanks for reminding me that it's one I really want. I collected a seed pod from the plant growing down the street from my mobile home. I was able to strip the seeds off without disturbing very much of the fluff. Then I threw the fluff out back because I have noticed that the hummingbirds often use it for their nests.

I saved the Asclepias Physocarpa "Hairy Balls" plants I grew last year and never did get planted out. I cut the stems back in the Fall and put the container on my closed porch because they looked like they had the potential to come back again, judging by the green buds on the stems and the roots; we'll see what happens, it could be interesting. They actually did bloom and then the seed pods appeared, very small, about the size of a currant. It was encouraging to see that much happen, and if they return I will certainly get them into the ground this year.

Mary

Question: Where do you have these plants planted? Can they take clay soil?

Ladyrose, Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) the orange milkweed grows in dry prairies and roadsides and likes sandy soil and has good drought tolerance. Will rot over the winter if the soil is too heavy so clay is maybe not so good.

Some of mine is growing pretty well in the "xeric garden" which is the driest section of the yard and where I'm trying to establish the most drought-tolerant plants that only need occasional watering if we're having really dry weather.
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Thanks Terrene. I def. live in soil clay land. My gardening soil had to be bought and amended. I am going to analyze all these new seeds I bought and calculate where I am going to put them.

ladyrose, i have wild butterfly weed growing all over the place and our soil is heavy clay. and rocks. very little of what i would call 'dirt.' if you don't have any luck, and you don't mind the wild variety, try to remember to remind me and i'll dig some up for you this summer :)

Here is the follow up on a Q "with or without fluff". Seems that the one with fluff germinated better then the one without.
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Now, babies are somewhere there or somewhere else. I'm notorious for not labeling. I have so much fun this year trying to figure it out what is growing after planting wintersown parenials last year. But that's another post..

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Wow! Mine did not germinate. Looking good Adamark!

Adamark,

Now that is really interesting!! Fluff vs no fluff. I am definitely going to keep that in mind whenever I winter sow more or ask for seeds.

I'm thinking that the fluff might retain more moiture for the seed to germinate?... Cool!

I agree that's a very interesting observation! ANd that the fluff could keep the seeds moister. On the other hand, I've had Asclepias tuberosa reseed lightly in the xeric garden, where I rarely water, so nature must have provided the right conditions.

Thanks for posting those pics Adamark. Hope you Butterfly weed grows great!

Can anyone suggest a companion plant for Butterfly Weed?
With this plant I'm always careful digging weeds up before it shows in late spring as you need markers so as to not mistakenly pull out the late emerging Butterfly Weed !!
Not everybody likes an orange flower but this one is nice

I like the hardy geranium with butterfly weed. Orange and purple look so pretty together and the geranium hides the legs of the butterfly weed.

Interesting thread, Adamark! That fluff always drives me crazy, and it's good to know it's not necessary to remove it, though I probably still will if I'm giving the seeds away.

Sunrisedigger, I have Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies' in several places in the garden, but here are my favorite combinations.

Butterfly Weed with Geum 'Fireball'. The Geum is usually just finishing up as the Butterfly Weed is starting to bloom.

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Butterfly Weed with Daylily 'Black Eyed Stella'

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Asclepias tuberosa with Gaillardia 'Oranges & Lemons'

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Hope this helps some!

Bonnie

Beautiful pictures Bonnie.

Thanks to all who responded to my companioning check for the Butterfly Weed. The photos and ideas are excellent.
Orange flowers gardeners unite