The Gomphocarpus milkweed is the host plant for the Monarch butterflies who lay their eggs on the plant, and then the hatched larvae feed on the leaves. Later the butterflies enjoy the flowers’ nectar.
The “hairy balls” contains seeds (surprise!) and the plant is poisonous.
These milkweeds grow well in Ocean Grove, and Eileen has been attracting Monarchs to our backyard. They thrive in zones 9-11, and the seeds can be saved for the following year.
JERRY LEE LEWIS from his Greatest Hits.
PG: LMMO! (Laughing my mask off)
Click to enlarge the balls.
I got the plant in the spring on-line from a company called Joyful Butterfly. The plant I purchased is a tropical milkweed, however there are many types of milkweed, and many of them are not tropical.
In doing research I found that fall is a good time for sowing the seeds. You can buy seeds now.
You can get more information from a website called americanmeadows.com, and they sell seeds.
Where did she get the milk week plants? And is it too late in the year to get them in a garden?