Asclepias curassavica 'Silky Gold'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 2001
Good Qualities:
Great color (5); Long flowering period (2); Bright, good texture, nice shape in arrangement, long stems, lots of stems, long cutting period; Color of leaves; Interesting flower shape; Relatively pest free, uniform, doesn't need support; Customers loved it; Great length, timing of harvest; Pods.
Problems:
Postharvest a challenge (4); Aphids (2); Bleeding of stems; Sometimes not enough color at once - made determining when to harvest difficult; Sap can be irritating to the skin; Rust; We had poor germination but what we got produced very well and was great; Sold better after pods developed and as dry, smell not liked by all.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating - Wholesale (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Retail (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Consumer (1) | Repeat Again Rating (2) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (2) | Average Spacing (in2) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 7.5 | 26.4 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 181 |
| Range of Responses | 1-20 | 36-22 | 2-4 | 4-5 | 4-5 | 2-5 | 1-5 | 36-360 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Kieft Seeds
P.O. Box 618
Conway, WA 98238
Comments:
Aphids love this plant, even after frost burn back, aphids were drawn to them; All the asclepias sold extremely well for me this year. I don't know if it was the expanded color range or if people are just enjoying reds, oranges and yellows more than they used to.