Thursday, February 25, 2010

Florida Milkweed - Asclepias feayi

Florida or feay's milkweed (Asclepias feayi) is a small, but rather distinctive member of this genus.  It is endemic to Florida and found only within the southern half of the state.  It is native to well-drained upland habitats; especially xeric flatwoods and sandhills with high levels of sunlight.
Florida milkweed is a perennial which dies back to the ground each winter.  It emerges in the early spring, but often goes unnoticed until it blooms in mid-summer because of its small stature and thin foliage.  At maturity, Florida milkweed rarely stands taller than about 2 feet.  Its thin leaves are several inches long and mostly opposite each other on the stem.
Blooming occurs during the summer.  Like the fewflowered milkweed (A. lanceolata), the flower heads are few and confined mostly to the top of the main stem.  Each contains less than 10 white flowers with a bit of purple near the center.  Unlike most milkweed flowers, the petals are not strongly recurved, but point outward - giving each a star-like quality.
Because of its small stature, Florida milkweed is not the first choice for butterfly gardening enthusiasts.  The caterpillars would quickly devour it; especially if there was not sufficient quantity around.  Its somewhat subdued flowers are also not likely to put it in great demand, but despite all of this, it is a very interesting species and well worth adding to a mixed wildflower planting.  Like many of Florida's upland species, it requires good drainage and plenty of sun to thrive.  Place it in small clusters near the front of the garden and mix it with other species, small in stature.
I am not aware of anyone that has ever grown this species commercially and we have not had the good fortune to find seed at the right time yet.  But, we continue to hope...  If you are interested, let us know and we will increase our effort.

7 comments:

  1. I'm researching Florida native milkweeds to write an article for our Master Gardener newsletter, so your blog is a very nice source.

    If you ever grow some of the harder-to-find milkweeds, please email me at annie.grewe@gmail.com.

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  2. do you know anywhere that i can get seeds for these few native florida milkweed?

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  3. No. Wish I did, but no one I know in FL ever has seed for sale.

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    1. Chris Parisi at restlessnatives@tampabay.rr.com sells them on ebay under Florida ecotype Milkweed, 813-716-2348

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  4. Does regular milkweed thrive in Florida? The kind that monarch butterflies love.

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    1. Becky- there is no "regular" milkweed in that no matter where you live there's going to be multiple species in your area. Monarchs use nearly all plants in the milkweed family - Asclepias species as well as others that are closely related. For the area you live in, find out which milkweed family species are native - those are the ones that monarchs in your area would be most apt to use first. And, although butterfly milkweed, A. tuberosa, is a good nectar source, it is rarely used as a larval plant. Hope this helps.

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  5. I sure would love if you did increase attempts to get a few specimen especially derived from local ecotype in region... as I honestly can't get enough of the milkweed varieties here in Florida. I Have currently acquired 5 total species to raise for seed to distribute to serious growers/nurseries. Two more are Sarcostemma types native to FL... for a total of 7. humistrata is one. And I worry my incarnatta, perrenis and verticulata are not local ecotypes....

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