Milkweed Growth: Soil, Sand, Mix

Milkweed plants, which are food/habitats for monarchs, are becoming endangered in the wild. This research being done is to find out the best way to germinate Milkweed plants. The researchers tested the difference between milkweed grown in different substrates. After 4 weeks of wet-cold stratification; the researchers placed 10 seeds of Asclepias tuberosa in petri dishes filled with: soil, sand, soil/sand mix, and control (paper towel). The researchers found that all the substrate mixture had about the same germination rate, with soil being slightly better in root length and plant health. Future research can address how the milkweed plant grows in each substrate. With this information, future researchers could find the best substrate for milkweed growth.