Asclepias variegata (White Milkweed)

[Porterbrook]

For the past five years, I have been monitoring three plants of Asclepias variegata in a nearby state forest. The plants were growing on a slope adjacent to an access road to a boat ramp. During this period, the plants never once produced a seed pod; although they did flower. This year an unscrupulous individual dug up the plants, leaving a gaping hole in the ground. I spent an entire day walking the surrounding woods to see if any other plants were present. There are none. The population of Asclepias variegata will continue to decline because the flowers are not being pollinated. This species apparently has a specific pollinator that is apparently no longer present or the timing of the bloom occurs when the pollinator is not present.

I am asking any fellow members of WG who live in Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky or Pennsylvania if they have seeds of this species to share with me? I want to establish a seed bank for this species before the population further declines. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Frank

[erictjohnson]

Suggest that you post an inquiry on the "Butterfly forum" at Gardenweb. Seeds for this variety of milkweed have been made available in the recent past, 2007.

[Porterbrook]

Thank you for the information, Eric. I will wait and hope that someone from WG has seed of this species. I prefer not to become a member of another garden website. We need to promote WG and bring in new members. Stay in touch.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

OH the idiots! Milkweed cannot be transplanted! It's a deep rooted plant, most of them probably died!

[TheLorax]

Thank you so much for mentioning there were so many other gardeners looking for this very same seed erictjohnson. I went to their site (sigh) lots of ads and the member that had it hasn't posted since 2007. I found others looking for the seed most notably a man or woman working on a project for the North Carolina Native Plant Society. I had a hard time getting rid of the ad that wanted me to take a survey. I registered and asked for help locating seed for Porterbrook. If we come up with a source for seed, I have a new membership there and would be happy to go back to contact their member looking for seed for their project.

Aw Porterbrook, if I had the seed it would be yours. I know you are on a dial up so I asked for help locating the seed. I will let you know if anyone replies. it doesn't look promising. Many are looking for the same seed. Something I noticed is that there is a member there named biophilia. I think that might be a woman named Carol. She is a high class person like you who cares an awful lot about the environment. Her native plant nursery is appearing first on Wildlife Gardener's listing of native plant nurseries under the state of Alabama-
North American Native Plant Nurseries- United States A-L

That site isn't all gunked up with ads. I think you could make it on her site without timing out. You might want to contact her to ask if she knows anyone out east who might have the seed. I checked and there is a way to contact her.

[milkweed]

Porterbrook, I don't have any. But I sent e-mails out to several arboretums in Indiana. We'll wait and see. I wish you luck. Its sad to hear of plants being stolen from natural places.

[Porterbrook]

Thanks to all of you for your help. I have the patience of Job and the seed will come my way. I wish there was a way to beam all of you here this weekend for my Fall Gathering. We could sit beneath the Maple tree and tell tall tales.

Your friend,
Frank

[Staff]

Thank you erictjohnson, TheLorax, and milkweed.

And thank you for your patience with all of us Porterbrook.

Please take a moment to follow up at the other site if a source is found. They have an awful lot of members posting requests for this species that would be most appreciative.

[Equilibrium]

I would be interested in buying plants of this species. Let me know if anyone finds plants. Thanks.

[biigblueyes]

25 seeds for $1 with $2 shipping
Asclepias Variegata White Milkweed Seeds - eBay (item 250498426809 end time Sep-20-09 20:43:52 PDT)

This one's a New York nursery - says next available spring 2010, but doesn't show prices.
Seneca Hill Perennials - Asclepias

That's all I could find.