Chill butterfly weed
1–2 weeks cold and moist, then warm to sprout.
Flower SeedsHSC-ASC-003-PKT
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Asclepias physocarpa
120 - 130Days to maturity
A seed worth growing
Oscar Asclepias Seed
About this variety
A big plant grown for its balloon pods.
Oscar makes sturdy, gracefully arching branches with narrow, bamboo-like leaves. White flowers with lavender centers turn into big papery pods 2–3" long, which are the main reason to grow it.
Use stems in large fresh or dried arrangements, or a single branch as a centerpiece; dried pods keep their lime-green color and balloon shape. Also an eye-catching plant for beds and borders. Perennial in Zones 9–11. Also called swan plant or balloon plant.
Ready to cut about 120–130 days from sowing; plants grow 32–72" tall. Open-pollinated.
Specs
- Packet: 50 seeds
- Average 4,700 seeds per oz.
- Plant height: 32–72"
In stock — Packet
Current price
$6.35
Original price
Sale price
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Know before you sow
Quick Facts
Growing times vary with weather, soil and local conditions.
Growing guide
From seed to harvestPot up early
Taproots suffer when root-bound; move up at 3–5 weeks.
Sun and drainage
12–24" apart; poor soil is fine.
Cut half open
Mind the milky sap.
Growing Information
Days to germination
About 2–3 weeks at 65–70°F (18–21°C). Butterfly weed (pleurisy root) seed sprouts better after chilling: keep it moist and covered in the refrigerator at 40–50°F (4–10°C) for 1–2 weeks, then move it somewhere warm.
Starting indoors
The best method. Sow 1/4" deep 7–9 weeks before the last frost. Seedlings start a taproot right away and decline fast if they get root-bound, so move them into larger cells or 3–4" pots 3–5 weeks after sowing. Harden off and plant out after the last frost.
Direct sowing
Sow in fall or spring.
Light
Full sun.
Plant height
32–72".
Plant spacing
12–24".
Hardiness
Depends on the variety.
Harvest
Cut when half to two-thirds of the flowers are open. If stems wilt, stand them in water for a day to recover.
Soil
Free-draining sandy loam; tolerates poor soil.
Uses
Cut flowers, borders, containers and butterfly gardens.
Caution
The milky sap can irritate skin and eyes; wear gloves and wash after handling.
Packet
50 seeds.
Seeds per oz.
About 4,700 on average.
Satisfaction Guarantee
We want every packet you buy from Hensley’s Seed Co. to grow well for you.
If anything you order from us doesn’t meet your expectations, just let us know and we’ll replace it or refund what you paid.
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