The heliotrope is blooming, but not really taken off. I am sorry the seeds that I sent you did not grow, I think maybe they got chilled, Parks sends them in a foil lined envelope and then in a bubble wrapped mailer.
Well, lesson learned.
The fragrance is there but they are so close to the ground that I have to get down on my knees to smell, probably not a good thing for you Gita. I hoping that when more bloom the wind will carry the scent.
Very pretty Chris, I'll be trying some heliotrope seeds and lantana seeds again next year hope I have better luck with the heliotrope. My pansies are still going strong and I'm hoping to start some for fall. I started Scarlet Milkweed from some seeds I received from a trade last year and I'm hoping to get seed pods from them. They are really pretty, too.
Thanks Holly, I might try a taller verity next year, but I need the low growing ones at the edge of the watergarden. Didn't have any luck with the lantana seeds this year will try again next season.
I did Milkweed a few years ago, Gay Butterflies verity, gave up on it and then it surprised me with one plant popping out of the ground. It's a yellow- onange color. Be sure to mark their spot as they are very late to emerage out of the ground in spring. I'm thinking that the one that made it missed my weeding hand : 0
Good job on the pansies, if you deadhead them they will keep blooming as long as they have the right weather conditions.
Heliotrope needs sun, doesn't it? It is so pretty . . . .
Chris, I don't think I knew that there was a shorter variety, I'll have to keep that in mind. I usually just put the Heliotrope in pots on the deck where I can watch the butterflies come and go. With a shorter variety I could do some different plant combs.
I got these Scarlet Milkweed seeds from a DG trade. I was told they are tropicals so I'm hoping to get seed pods so I can save some seeds for next year. I was running out of room so I just sprinkled some into a couple of milk jugs and set them outside and they did fine, which makes me wonder if they will reseed themselves even though they are tropical????
I'm really afraid that next year I will have trouble telling the weeds from the seeds. I put in a lot of different plants this year and some of them don't look too different than some of the weeds when they first emerge.
Chris,,,I grew the same one you have a few years back. It didn't do especially well for me either, and the only time I could really appreciate the fragrance was if I was on my knees weeding right near to it. I always meant to try a taller variety as I do love the fragrance, so thank you for reminding me. On the list it goes.
Tange, I might try both the tall and short varities next year, and start them earlier and pot-up a size, do you think that would be the answer to getting more blooms? Or maybe pinching them back before setting out?
Holly try The Milkweed Gay Butterflies next year. If you can get them established they will come back every year. I'll try to post a picture of mine tomarrow. I read that they don't like to be moved once established, so have a spot picked out early.
Chris
I think so, Chris. I have a friend who is in a warmer zone (Roanoke, VA) than we are, and she has great luck with hers. Most are container plants (her deck smells heavenly!) and she pinches the heck out of them beginning when they are quite young. I know they like full sun or just a bit of afternoon shade. Isn't it amazing how much they move in a day to follow the sun? And I think it's great that they are "smart" enough to turn back to the east during the night so as to be ready for daybreak.
I think I'm going to look for some of the taller old fashioned ones for myself. I'm really craving them now that you've reminded me.
Mine are finally blooming! They're fragrant, but you're right, you have to be pretty close. Fortunately, I've got several of them in railing planters out on the deck. :-)
However, I think the ones that Miata and I sniffed at the greenhouse this spring were more strongly fragrant... Next year, I will not resist buying one!
Chris: Did you grow your "gay butterflies" from seed? From the websites selling it, it looks challenging to germinate ("Sow in trays, pots, etc of good seed compost in a propagator or warm place to maintain an optimum temperature of 65-70F (18-20C). Sowing Depth: 1/16 inch (1.5mm). Sowing Time: February to July. Germination can be slow. After sowing, seal container in a polythene bag and leave at 60-65F (15-18C) for 2 weeks, then place in a refrigerator (not freezer) for 3-6 weeks. After this return to the recommended germination temperature. If germination does not occur in 6-10 weeks return to the fridge for a further 3-6 weeks. Examine regularly whilst in the fridge and remove immediately the seeds show signs of germinating.")
Inevitably I'd forget about them!
Happy, that sounds like a good candidate for wintersowing!
Happy, Winter sowing is basically what I did with my Scarlet Milkweed. It was getting late and I was running out of room so I stuck them in milk jugs and put them outside. Not too sure when but it was probably around early April. I know we had some bad cold weather after I put them out.
I hadn't even thought about wintersowing in this context -- although I positively obsessed about it last year. Thanks for the suggestion!
Chris,
I had not noticed this thread--sorry!
I found the "Mini Marine" heliotropes at a local wholesale Nursery and bought several at $2 each. I also bought the regular sized ones.
I love the taller ones! They grow no matter what. The mini ones are really NOT doing as well as I would have liked them to. Then--nothing is! This heat has a lot of plants suffering mercilessly.
I always buy the taller ones and mix them into my big patio planters, Love the smell and the color!
Holy--
Your orange Milkweed reminds me of the "Butterfly Weed" that I am still dying to have! I wonder if it is a hard plant to establish? Anyone know?
Gita
Gita, Well, It's doing it's job. If I get seed pods I will let you know, or remind me later if I don't remember who all was interested in them.
Gita, the Mini heliotrope is not blooming the way I was hoping it would, but I'm going to try again next year but earlier, and do some early pinching too.
I did read that Milk weed, Butterflyweed was hard to establish, it doesn't like to be moved, so I grew it in larger six packs and planted it out before the root system got too large. They also emerage in spring quite late so I may have disturbed the roots and killed them off except for one.
A friend of mine wintersowed some "hot orange milkweed" seeds I gave her (got them in a trade)... I think they're one of the tropical/tender milkweeds, but I've heard you can dig the tubers of those for overwintering (?). In any event, she just moved to CA, and I dug up some plants from her place (mostly ones I'll send along to her this fall), including some of these milkweeds. If they survive the transplanting (they're looking pretty bad), I'll put your name on one, Gita!
Jill,
So---Is this tropical Milkweed the same as the "Butterfly Bush"?
I am confused! However--that us my "normal" state.
Gita
"Butterfly Bush" is Buddlea, http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/128/
"Butterfly Weed" is probably Milkweed (Asclepias).
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/604/
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/73/
It seems to me that I've seen Yarrow (Achillea) called "Butterfly something" also... http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/58/
It's that "common name" confusion again!
Jill,
I did not mean to say "bush". I meant "weed"....My brain thinking askew...
Of the 3 links, would the first one then be the "real" Butterfly Weed?
The one that is a perennial?
Loved all the pictures in the first link!
Thanks, Gita
This message was edited Jul 31, 2007 8:21 AM
Jill,
I did not mean to say "bush". I meant "weed"....My brain thinking askew...
Of the 3 links, would the second one then be the "real" Butterfly Weed?
The one that is a perennial?
Loved all the pictures in the first link!
Thanks, Gita
Giti, The second link under butterfly weed is the one you want, Species tuberosa, I do have a picture of my plant posted in that link. I have never noticed any ripe seed pods on the plant other years but will look this year. I was hoping it would reseed on it's own.
Chris
I've got a few Asclepias plants out in the butterfly patch that I think were all white-blooming... the trade seed packet just said milkweed, but I think it's probably A. tuberosa... at any rate, it's perennial for me. We'll dig one for you if you'd like. I think there are probably seeds out there also. (I wasn't holding out on you at the spring swap -- they hadn't come up yet!) The ones from my friend's garden are a tender perennial, probably A. curassavica.
Thank you all, but I do not really want to mess around with growing perennials from seed. I am sure I will find it somewhere in a pot or a bag. I saw some a couple of years ago at WM and bought two. They were sold in a bag in a box like they sell Peonies. Both were in sad, sad shape, but I bought them anyway. They never came up.
I am patient with plants. When I find one-I will buy it.
Gita
I'm not talking about from seed, Gita... if the tropical ones from my friend survive, you're welcome to a clump... or if you don't mind a white one, we'll dig one for you. If you really want an orange one (or another color?), I'll keep my eyes open... I owe you! :-)
I DO like the orange!
And--you do not "owe" me anything! My pleasure!
Gita
