The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Trees and Shrubs => Topic started by: Fleur Pavlidis on October 12, 2011, 05:18:10 PM
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This Asclepias syriaca is a strange plant which I planted out as a little thing last autumn and see how big it's grown. It flowered all summer and now has these spikey seed pods. I'm waiting to see what they do next. I'll definitely collect the seeds if they mature to make more babies because I suspect it'll be short-lived. Sally told me that it suffers from white-fly but I can't say they've been a problem.
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Strange indeed, interesting, and quite graceful. How much water have you had to give it?
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I have not grown your A. syriaca, but, in contrast to the white-fly you mention, my A. tuberosa (http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=162.0) spends a lot of its life hosting bright orange aphids (which also crop up on my Oleander).
It is presumably just coincidental that your/Sally's white-flowered species has white pests, and my orange-flowered one has orange ones...
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Nice one, Mike!
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Your yellow aphid is A neri. The following extract was taken from a Languedoc branch report "Ten members replied that their most important insect pest was aphid or greenfly. A.neri, the yellow oleander species is their major problem. This aphid can overwinter on Euphorbiaceae and Asclepiadaceae (milkweed) species, both local weeds."
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Though it is a near relative I believe that the plant photographed here is a Gomphocarpus species. Either G. physocarpus or G. fruticosus.
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Aphis neri - that's useful to know - thanks David
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It's the latter, John; see the photo where the seed pod has a nose which grows and grows. Thanks for putting me right.
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And does this mean that the flowers are scented?
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Sorry Fleur copyright is automatic on these files. Though the sun glasses are mine or should I say Oron's!
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;D
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The serious moderators are away plant hunting so....
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Well, I don't know... we leave you alone for a week and look at what you get up to!