[edinlass]

Hi everyone
I have seen a listing on Trade Me for some Scarlet and Gold Swan Plant seeds ~ i am keen to purchase some and have more unusual Swan Plants to tempt the butterflies into my garden. I have a few mature “ordinary” Swan Plants in the garden which grow so tall. I am hoping these shall grow smaller so i can find an ideal spot in the garden for them or grow them in pots.
I am in Gisborne so perhaps someone in my area has tried these? Any info would be much appreciated 🙂
Thanks

[Jacqui]

Hi Edinlass

I have these growing as well. The flowers are very attractive and obviously more colourful than the swan plants.

A little bit about “swan plant”, so called because of the swan-shaped fruit (or seed pods). There is a “giant swan plant”, which has larger fruit that don’t look like swans at all, i.e. they haven’t got the little “beak” at the end, and grows larger – I feel these plants offer much more food for monarch caterpillars – more leaves, larger leaves and they appear to be denser too.

Now A. curassavica or tropical milkweed is not a swan plant, i.e. it doesn’t have swan-shaped fruit. But it is a milkweed, i.e. a host plant for monarchs. The swan plant and its relative (Gomphocarpus fruticosus and G. physocarpus) come from Africa whereas the Asclepias family come from America.

https://www.monarch.org.nz/species/monarchs/monarch-host-plants/milkweed/

Yes, the Asclepias species I know of don’t grow as tall as the Gomphocarpus and they should grow well in Gisborne. Good luck with it! You can buy them on our website too, see the SHOP tab above.

[Dane Keriboi Hawker]

Asclepias curassavica!

I have had good luck with it. Its far better to look at the the swan plants.

[Author]

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