Asclepias curassavica 'Silky Scarlet'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 2001
Good Qualities:
Nice color (5); Long flowering period (2); Interesting flower shape (2); Made a great filler early in season when field production is low; Good texture, nice shape in arrangement, long stems, lots of stems, colored leaves; Relatively pest free, uniform, doesn't need support; Customers loved it; Pods.
Problems:
Aphids (2); Postharvest a challenge (4); Bleeding of stems; Sold better after pods developed and as dry, smell not liked by all; 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; Not quite as vigorous a grower as Asclepias 'Silky Deep Red', but shorter; colors not as striking; Wimpier than 'Deep Red'.
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 | 7.1 | 25.3 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 209 |
| Range of Responses | 1-20 | 36-17.5 | 1-4 | 3-5 | 3-5 | 2-5 | 1-5 | 36-432 |
(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:
Similar to 'Deep Red' (4); Similar to 'Red Butterfly'; Aphids love this plant, even after frost burn back, aphids were drawn to them; I don't know which one of the new 'Deep Red' or 'Scarlet' I will grow next year. They are quite similar. I will grow one of them in addition to 'Silky Gold' and 'Butterfly'; 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.