20 Butterfly Balls Seeds

Butterfly Balls Seeds Perennial Hairy Ball Seed Perennial

Gomphocarpus Physocarpus: Asclepias Physocarpa is the former botanical name, Goose plant, Giant swan milkweed, Hairy balls, Family jewels, Oscar, Cotton-bush, Balloon plant.

• Perennial for USDA hardiness zone 8 and above (lows -12.2 °C or 10 °F)
• Fast-growing annual for colder zones
• Full sun to part shade
• Height: 4 to 6 feet (can grow taller)
• Spacing: 2 to 3 ft
• Flowers: white with purple accents
• Blooms mid to late summer
• Not the same plant as its bushier brother swan milkweed

Plant Propagation:

• Start Seeds indoors 2 months before the final frost.
• Sow seeds directly after final frost (not recommended below zone USDA zone 8)
• Soak seeds in water 24 hours before planting, with no cold stratification.
• Stem Cuttings.
• Start Seeds in water.
• In annual zones, starting with plants is the best option to ensure plants have time to seed.

Pros:

• Fast-growing annual milkweed
• Can sustain lots of munching monarch caterpillars late season
• Nectar source for monarch butterflies
• Long stems with pods make an amazing table centerpiece
• Use long cuttings to feed caterpillars indoors
• The last viable milkweed species before fall takes over

Cons:

• Colder hardiness zones must start seeds indoors in hopes of seed harvest, or overwinter indoors under CFL light bulbs
• The flowers aren’t super showy, but still pretty
• Fewer pollinators use this than native milkweeds
• Goose Growing Tips:
• Start seeds indoors 1-2 months before avg last frost
• Seeds germinate in less than one week with heat and moisture
• Description automatically generated oscillating clip fan on seedlings to strengthen the stems to simulate an outdoor breeze…a must for strong stems!
• Grow this as a back border so it doesn’t shade your other butterfly plants
• Cut I- you can cut them back in late spring for bushier growth
• Staking may be required if not cut back in perennial zones
• Cut II- Is fall setting in before seeds are ready to harvest? Take stem cuttings with the largest pods (leave seed pods attached) and place them in water. This should give them the time they need to finish developing.
• Don’t force open seed pods…they will start to open when they are ready.