When should I plant swan plants?
spring
If you want to plant lots of swan plants, try growing them from seed. In most places, it’s not warm enough to plant little swan plants outdoors until about November. But spring is a good time to start growing them indoors, ready to plant out later.
Where is the best place to plant a swan plant?
full sun
Swan plants grow best in full sun in a well-drained position, reaching up to 2 metres. A sheltered spot is best as they do not fare against strong winds and like to keep moist over the summer months.
Do swan plants grow back?
Most Swan plants survive the winter if they have been cared for and nourished with water and re-potted either in a larger pot or into the ground. Sometimes Swan plants struggle to grow back if completely chewed back by the hungry caterpillars.
How long do swan plants last?
If you’ve been left with a baron-leaved plant, simply leave it to regrow more leaves. Swan plans can also last up to two years, so come early winter, give your plant a good prune back in preparation for next summer. It’s also worth knowing that swan plants can be toxic if ingested.
Are swan plants perennial?
“Swan plants are perennials and will last a few years. Just give the stumps a few weeks to grow more leaves. “And when they are established you never need to buy another swan plant for your caterpillars. The seed will give you new plants every spring and the monarchs will be delighted!”
How do you keep wasps away from Swan plants?
To protect against wasps, try covering the swan plant with a mosquito net or something with a small weave. This will also prevent further monarch eggs being laid and depleting the food resource even more. An egg takes about 7-10 days to hatch.
Should I prune a swan plant?
Pruning Swan Plants If they’re been thoroughly nibbled early in the season, you can prune the eaten swan plants back for another round of regrowth. They will usually regenerate if left to their own devices, but pruning can help straggly plants bush out to increase the food supply.
Are swan plants perennials?
What part of the swan plant is poisonous?
To put this into perspective, even the daffodil is hazardous as the bulb is poisonous, the seeds from the Kōwhai tree too – even carrot tops (but a child will have to eat a wheelbarrow full of carrot tops greens to become sick).
How tall do swan plants grow?
2m tall
Swan plants prefers sandy well-drained soil and full sun. They can grow up to 2m tall, so they also benefit from wind shelter or support.
Do wasps eat monarch chrysalis?
Paper wasps, Polistes, sometimes attack monarch caterpillars or pupae to feed their young. Recent reports suggest that this form of predation is more common than originally thought. (View of several paper wasps collecting food from a monarch chrysalis).
Do ants eat chrysalis?
Ants not only do the ants not eat these caterpillars and pupae, but they actually care for them and aggressively protect them from other predators and parasitoids, thus creating an enemy-free space. The lycaenid caterpillars are far from vulnerable in this association.
What kind of plant is a swan plant?
It germinates readily if sown fresh. We have always known the swan plant as an asclepias, Asclepias fruticosa in fact but it has apparently been renamed Gomphocarpus fruticosus which is altogether too difficult for us to remember even with our experience in horticulture.
What should I do with my Swan plant?
When swan plants reach maturity they produce amazing big fluffy seed pods which is another interesting aesthetic, and can be used as an engaging activity for children, to gather the seeds to replant. Never spray the leaves with fertiliser or with pesticides, even if your plant gets some nasty pests as this will harm the caterpillar’s development.
How long does it take for a swan plant to grow?
The caterpillar’s main food source is the swan plant which is easily grown by seed in spring, and will take between 14-21 days to germinate. They are relatively quick growing plants but you may need a few to feed all the hungry caterpillars. Many people are surprised with just how much they eat.
What kind of butterflies lay eggs on Swan plants?
Summer is the season of the monarch butterfly, and for children and adults alike it is an amazing sight to see the beautiful monarch butterflies land among the swan plants to lay their eggs. The caterpillars are nearly as cute with their little gold, black and white striped bodies, crawling over plants, and munching their leaves.