Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - April 29, 2014
From: Mission, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Butterfly Gardens, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Growth rate of non-native Asclepias curassavica
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
As a volunteer at the National Butterfly center, I wonder how long from starting the seeds until the plant reaches approximately 20 cm tall does it take a tropical milkweed (asclepias curassavica) to grow assuming 60 degree nights or above? Thank youANSWER:
There are a couple of things we need to let you know. The first is that this member of the Mr. Smarty Plants Team does not speak metric, and must blushingly concede that she has not the slightest idea how tall is 20 cm?
The second thing is that the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, is dedicated to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are to be grown; in your case, Hidalgo County, in the very southern tip of Texas. Ascepias curassavica,Tropical Milkweed, is therefore not in our Native Plant Database but is native to South America, and there is some controversy about using it in feeder areas for the Monarch Butterfly, according to this article from the Texas Butterfly Ranch.
More Non-Natives Questions
Can lantana be grown in British Columbia from Vernon BC
October 20, 2012 - Can I grow lantana in Vernon B.C. Canada?
view the full question and answer
Plants for under non-native fruitless mullberry trees from Ft. Worth TX
June 28, 2012 - I live in Tarrant county, where summer droughts are the norm. I have a 150x50 foot swathe of mature "fruitless mulberry" trees, which create a very shady atmosphere. The soil is clay dominated, ro...
view the full question and answer
Pruning non-native Chinese fringe flower from Austin
June 24, 2013 - When is the best time of year to prune Plum Delight? And how severely can it be cut back?
view the full question and answer
Plants (mostly non-native) not common to Tyler TX area
July 11, 2009 - I live in Tyler, TX 75705. I always seem to fall in love with plants that are not common for this area so I cannot find information on growing these plants in this area: Esperanza, Alstromeria, Japan...
view the full question and answer
Getting rid of non-native lesser celandine in Oswego NY
May 11, 2011 - Help! We have lesser celandine on approx. an acre of our property right on Lake Ontario, it's in my gardens and in our yard, and in the woods, I have dug it out of my gardens, but I'm not able to g...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |