Daughter & I visited a new Butterfly World which has opened in our area. In the very humid butterfly house we saw this plant. I have seen it before but cannot remember the name and it was not labelled. Can anyone help please. ( photo / image / picture from Gardengirl's Garden ) moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic
No, it's not lantana. I think it's those.. ehm... I know that plant but do I remember now? No. Yes, I did! It's the Asclepias tuberosa. I think.
Certainly looks like Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed, Butterfly Weed) to me. There are a couple or more color combinations...all yellow, all light orange and the yellow/orange combination.
Thank you for replies. Sjoerd, I thought it might be Lantana at first but the leaves are not the same. I think it is probably Asclepias. I was very naughty and took a seed pod which was just about ripe. I assume this is an indoor plant which requires quite a lot of humidity but will have a go. This place is going to be amazing when it is finished, apparently it is going to be the largest walk through experience in the world and is going to have a large biome similar to the Eden Project with all sorts of attractions, rope walkways, Maya caves and ruins to explore, streams and tropical rainstorms and it is only yards from the M25 and M1 (one for you to think about Emma for a great day out with the kids and maybe a meet up?) Anyone in UK interested and is not too far away just visit www.butterflyworldproject.com for latest info. Apparently it will not be completed until about Autumn next year.
*taking notes* I really need a trip to England in the not very distant future, but of couse after next autumn.
Asclepias alright. Around here commonly called Butterfly Milkweed. It grows wild in the countryside here. I love it, such a vibrant color! Asclepias, Butterfly Milkweed ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )
That's a beautiful photo Kay, how lucky you are to have it growing wild. If I am successful in raising some from seed, I hope that I can put them out in the summer months to attract the butterflies, or maybe they need to be grown indoors? Butterflies are very much in decline in UK so anything I can do to attract them will be a good thing.
Gg, the PlantStew's got info on your Asclepias. It says even I can grow it outside. I know I tried a few years back but didn't succeed. This is the same link Toni posted a bit further up: Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed, Butterfly Weed)
Thanks Droopy, I did see Toni's link but obviously didn't read it properly I note it takes two years to bloom from seed but will still have a go I think as I love a challenge
Asclepias curassavica http://www.bitterrootrestoration.com/perennials-plants/asclepias-curassavica.html
Asclepias. Yes, I see that now. Good catch. I should have been more observant a few weeks ago when I bought some of these for the front plot. I thought that they were little Lantanas...oh dear me. Well, they are lovely plants anyway and have grown up to be healthy-looking and are full of flowers and buds at the moment. I still have to get some lantanas in order to attract a certain sort of butterfly though. Goodness knows where I will be able to plant them now.
The Butterfly World Project looks as if it's going to be a really great place to visit. What a pity I live so far away. Who knows though maybe, someday, Ian and I will manage a trip down that way.
Went to our Herts Country Show this weekend which was held at Hatfield House near to us. There was a stall there selling lots of lovely plants to attract wildlife so I hedged my bets and bought an Asclepias.
