I planted two such plants last summer and even with this nice spring weather I have seen no sign of life from either. I think I recall reading that they take awhile to show signs of growth in the spring. Is this right? And if so how much more time before I should really worry? ;)
return my Butterfly Weeds
By butterfly weed, do you mean Asclepias tuberosa? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/73/ I don't know how fast they come up in the spring, but they're hardy a zone and a half colder than you, so especially with the mild winter everyone's had this year I would be surprised if cold killed them.
Yes I do mean 'Asclepias tuberosa'. I am looking to hear from others re their experience with this plant emerging in the spring.
My asclepias tuberosa plants are about 18in tall right now.
Clearly getting ready to strut their stuff...
I wouldn't give up on them yet. I'm not sure where you live, but it's possible your weather is still a bit behind St. Louis. And if your plants were just planted last year and Weerobin's are older and better established that could also contribute to yours coming back slower. So while there's of course a chance that they are dead, I wouldn't give up hope just yet.
MInes have not year sprouted yet either. Ecrane - since you are in zone 9a too, do you have any growing and have they sprouted?
No, I don't have any right now. I used to grow A. curassavica at my old house, but I got tired of them always being covered in milkweed aphids so I didn't plant any here when I moved.
Ecrane - I'll have to keep an eye out for aphids then. Last year was the first year I have planted A. tuberosa and never tried the A. currassavica.
I've grown milkweeds on several occasions (and also a couple Tweedia/Oxypetalum species which are in the same family) and the milkweed aphids ALWAYS find them. They're bright orange so you really can't miss them if they've gotten on your plant. I've never had trouble controlling regular sorts of aphids that occasionally infest my other plants, but even when I went out every night and hosed off the orange milkweed aphids they'd come right back and I could never get rid of them (I don't use pesticides--if I did maybe that would have worked). They only bother things in the milkweed family so I suppose I could have just left them alone since they wouldn't hurt anything else in the garden, but it bothered me having orange bugs all over those couple plants!
I started a few orange milkweeds from seed three years ago, two of the tuberous roots show no sign of shoots while one is sending up a few sprouts an inch or so high. It may take a while but I can't say I'm optimistic----maybe orange with echinacea wasn't the best idea any way. I'm hoping the liatris will bloom with the echinacea anyway.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Weedy