Transplanted Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Incarnata) Turning Yellow

GardenGeisha

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In May or June I bought a white butterfly weed and planted it in a large pot. I think it is Asclepias tuberosa. They told me it was white flowering but it didn't bloom all summer. Recently I got to thinking it should be moved to the ground in order to overwinter properly. I had noticed plants around it in the pot did not thrive like plants in other pots. For instance, my dusty miller plants around it were much smaller and appeared stunted compared to plants from the same flat that I had planted elsewhere. The latter are nearly 3 times larger... Also, a packet of zinnia seeds I planted in August sprouted but didn't grow in that pot this butterfly weed was in. I wondered whether butterfly weed has an allelopathic effect like black walnuts and sunflowers do on other plants, kind of poisoning them, preventing optimal growth? However, this butterfly weed itself never really grew in the pot, either. It just held its own. A more expensive orange butterfly weed I bought on Father's Day and planted directly in the ground never grew much this summer, either, (Asclepias tuberosa-- the type of asclepias with the long taproot) but at least it bloomed twice. When I transplanted the white butterfly weed the other day, it was 98 degrees the following day and in the high 90s the next few days, so I made sure it had plenty of water. I covered it with a plastic laundry basket (large holes on sides) and a lightweight sheet, to shield it from the hot daytime sun. Its lower leaves are very yellow, all of a sudden. A garden worker told me she thinks it needs fertilizer, that maybe all the nutrients leached out of the pot with watering, and now that it is transplanted it can't take up new nutrients from the ground? Do you think this could be the case, or do you think it is more likely that it turned yellow from the water. The new location is sandy, and it is somewhat near a black walnut tree. I have read that Native Plants can react poorly to fertilizer. And since it is already stressed, I'm a little nervous about fertilizing it? Do you think it will have time to put down new roots for the winter, being planted this late in the season?
 
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GardenGeisha

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I'm pretty sure I once killed a perfectly healthy brand new Harlequin Penstemon (Utah wildflower) I had purchased for my garden, by fertilizing it. I have read many posts about butterfly weed, and what causes yellowing. Half say to fertilize, half say not to. I have also read that Asclepias incarnata does not have a taproot, making it easier to transplant than Asclepias tuberosa, which DOES have a long taproot. Is this true, or have I likely made a bad mistake in trying to transplant Asclepias incarnate, and that is why it has yellowing foliage at its base?
 

Nenebynature

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I wonder if it's one of those plants that just needs a year to live in its new surroundings. Mine (asclepias tuberosa) didn't do much the first year I planted them either. After two years, this year they were absolutely fantastic. I have zinnias, sunflowers, moonflowers, and Mexican torch and cukes all growing in the same bed. They didn't seem to be impacted negatively by the butterfly weed
 

GardenGeisha

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That's wonderful news, Nenebynature! Most of the leaves fell off the white one, but the new orange one (little) I planted by it hasn't lost any. I think I overwatered the white one, but I don't think I killed it.
 

Nenebynature

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That's wonderful news, Nenebynature! Most of the leaves fell off the white one, but the new orange one (little) I planted by it hasn't lost any. I think I overwatered the white one, but I don't think I killed it.

I found once the roots get established that they're very hearty. Fingers crossed for your white! The butterfly weed we sell at my work is looking very crummy right now in pots. But The roots are still looking good. May have to take a few more home! I love it planted out by my barn.
 
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