Swan Plant Seed Packet

"Swan Plant (Asclepias fruticosa) comes from South Africa. The first time I saw this plant was at the UC Berkley Botanical Garden when I was in high school. The reason it’s called Swan Plant is because the seed pod looks like the body of a swan and the stem resembles their long elegant neck. The seed pods are decorative and are often used in floral arrangements. They look like big fluffy pom-poms and are the sizes of a golf ball!" — Bobby Gendron

The Facts:

• Latin name: Asclepias fruticosa (aka: Gomphocarpus fruticosus)
• Quantity of seeds per packet: 20
• Monarch butterfly host plant
• Cream and white flowers
• Native to South Africa
• Frost sensitive perennial
• 60" - 72" tall
• Blooms from May until first frost
• Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 - 11
• Summer annual in USDA zones 3 - 9

Growing Instructions: Start Swan Plant seeds outdoors in the spring after the danger of nighttime freezing has past. Pick a location with full sun and prepare soil for good drainage, if needed. Plant seeds 1/8" deep and 36” apart, using 3 seeds per hole. Keep the soil evenly moist until the seeds germinate in 10 - 20 days. Once the seedlings reach 1", thin out so you have individual plants spaced 36” apart. Water regularly allowing the soil to go nearly dry between each watering. Fertilize monthly in the summer with a general purpose fertilizer. To get a head start, seeds can be planted indoors in the late winter. Transplant outdoors after the danger of nighttime freezing has past.