botanical garden fruit St. Gallen - which kind of plant?

[Mazat]

This fruit was lying on the ground last December and we took it with us.

Now it has blown up and there are all these seeds on the balcony table.

What kind of plant is this?

[PAPalmtrees]

It Looks like a milkweed seed pod.

[Mazat]

1 hour ago, PAPalmtrees said:

It Looks like a milkweed seed pod.

Yes, it looks like this, wow. thank you very much for the identification.

should i plant the seeds on the balconey, a good question or maybe in the community garden ?

how much temperature minimum do they tolerate ? who has experience in this ?

 

[PAPalmtrees]

4 minutes ago, Mazat said:

Yes, it looks like this, wow. thank you very much for the identification.

should i plant the seeds on the balconey, a good question or maybe in the community garden ?

how much temperature minimum do they tolerate ? who has experience in this ?

 

I don't know that much about them but I know they are native here in Pennsylvania they grow all along the creeks and rivers. I think you can grow them in pods on your balcony but maybe do some research before you try.

[SeanK]

They're a pest plant in most of the NE US.

[Silas_Sancona]

On 3/5/2025 at 9:00 AM, PAPalmtrees said:

I don't know that much about them but I know they are native here in Pennsylvania they grow all along the creeks and rivers. I think you can grow them in pods on your balcony but maybe do some research before you try.

Pretty easy plant ..if you get them off to a good start and understand their pre- germination biology  ...Some at least..

Many sps from the eastern U.S. / higher elevations in the west and Mexico often require some deg of cold stratification before they will germinate. 

W/ all native Milkweeds, best to direct sow rather than starting in pots then transplanting ..Though some are more durable to such treatment compared to others..

Obviously, w/ out these to utilize as a food source, = no Monarchs, ..and / or Queens < Here in the S.W. U.S. >

A few other " Tropical " butterfly sps that occasionally show up in various spots north of the U.S. / Mexico border from time to time will also utilize U.S. locally native Asclepias sps. when present.

Ever see gold colored Aphids on Milkweed?  Leave them be  ..Evolved specifically to feed on it.. Won't hurt the plants at all..
 

3 minutes ago, SeanK said:

They're a pest plant in most of the NE US.

🤦‍♂️  Asclepias  AKA:  Milkweeds = Definitely not  a " Pest " plant  -anywhere- in the US ..Native sps esp. 

From the Xerces Society:
https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/19-029.pdf

[gurugu]

 

I would say it is an Araujia sericifera. A climber from South America.

Here it is an invader, a pest. Popping out everywhere. At least, mine do look like the one in the picture, a lot.

It is said that the flowers trap flies, but I have never seen it to happen.

[Silas_Sancona]

16 minutes ago, gurugu said:

 

I would say it is an Araujia sericifera. A climber from South America.

Here it is an invader, a pest. Popping out everywhere. At least, mine do look like the one in the picture, a lot.

It is said that the flowers trap flies, but I have never seen it to happen.

Would have to see the entire plant / leaves / any flowers itself to be sure, but, yes, could certainly be Araujia also  ..If it is growing in his local botanical garden.. 

Seeds / seedpod similarity to Milkweeds  = same family  / tribe as Milkweeds ( Asclepiadeae ) but different subtribe than Asclepias itself ( Araujia = Subtribe Oxypetalinae  )




A side note: Aside from Asclepias itself,  Overall family contains numerous native " Vining Milkweeds " here in the U.S. / Mexico: Funastrum, Gonolobus, ** Sacrostemma / **Cynanchum,  Matelea, Vailia, Marsdenia, etc..  Monarchs / Queens  / other Butterfly sps in Mexico use some of these as larval hosts also.

None are " weeds " 

[Mazat]

22 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Müsste die ganze Pflanze/Blätter/eventuelle Blüten selbst sehen, um sicher zu sein, aber ja, es könnte durchaus auch Araujia sein ... wenn sie in seinem örtlichen botanischen Garten wächst ... 

Samen/Samenkapseln ähneln Seidenpflanzen = gleiche Familie/Stamm wie Seidenpflanzen ( Asclepiadeae ), aber anderer Unterstamm als Asclepias selbst ( Araujia = Unterstamm Oxypetalinae   ).




Eine Randbemerkung: Abgesehen von Asclepias selbst enthält die Gesamtfamilie zahlreiche einheimische „rankende Seidenpflanzen“ hier in den USA/Mexiko: Funastrum, Gonolobus, ** Sacrostemma / **Cynanchum, Matelea , Vailia, Marsdenia usw. Monarchfalter/Königinnen/andere Schmetterlingsarten in Mexiko nutzen einige davon ebenfalls als Larvenwirte.

Keines davon ist „Unkraut“. 

do you think it's better outplanting in the community garden then on the balconey?

maybe in april when it's getting warmer ?

[Mazat]

22 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Müsste die ganze Pflanze/Blätter/eventuelle Blüten selbst sehen, um sicher zu sein, aber ja, es könnte durchaus auch Araujia sein ... wenn sie in seinem örtlichen botanischen Garten wächst ... 

Samen/Samenkapseln ähneln Seidenpflanzen = gleiche Familie/Stamm wie Seidenpflanzen ( Asclepiadeae ), aber anderer Unterstamm als Asclepias selbst ( Araujia = Unterstamm Oxypetalinae   ).




Eine Randbemerkung: Abgesehen von Asclepias selbst enthält die Gesamtfamilie zahlreiche einheimische „rankende Seidenpflanzen“ hier in den USA/Mexiko: Funastrum, Gonolobus, ** Sacrostemma / **Cynanchum, Matelea , Vailia, Marsdenia usw. Monarchfalter/Königinnen/andere Schmetterlingsarten in Mexiko nutzen einige davon ebenfalls als Larvenwirte.

Keines davon ist „Unkraut“. 

thank you very much for your explinations.

It's also an important plant in this case🤗

good to know!

[Tracy]

On 3/5/2025 at 6:10 AM, Mazat said:

This fruit was lying on the ground last December and we took it with us.

Now it has blown up and there are all these seeds on the balcony table.

What kind of plant is this?

Did you see the plant the pod came from?  In that it was December I wouldn't be surprised if the plant had already gone dormant.   I don't recall the elevation in St Gallen compared to Appenzell that I visited a year and a half ago.  I have photos of native species we encountered on hikes around Appenzell which I will review.   There were information signs on hikes there as well as in Luzerne showing native flowers and plants.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Mazat said:

do you think it's better outplanting in the community garden then on the balconey?

maybe in april when it's getting warmer ?

Garden would be best since most Milkweeds produce a deep root system..

With a lot of Asclepias  species, it usually takes about 3 years for seed- started plants to flower.  Not sure how long it would take to flower if the seed came off of the vine mentioned.. Guess-timate would be 2 years, but, ..that is just a guess..



Two ways i direct sow specific seed that doesn't do as well when started in pots  out in the yard, that allows me to monitor them a bit more closely as they germinate / get established after germinating include the following..

Using 1gal plastic pots, i cut the bottoms off of them and utilize as a sleeve inserted into the ground.

I'll then fill in the void with a soil mix that is easy for seeds to push through..  Once the seedlings have established themselves ( Approx a years worth of growth for most perennials, typically.. ) i can remove the " sleeve "



Because they have no bottom, roots can grow straight into the soil unimpeded..




One of several examples of this technique i did last summer / re-did this winter..



Seedlings in here include a native Milkweed and species of Acacia ( far right ) in this one..



In the first example, i set up " shade sleeves " made from hardwire cloth and shade cloth around the above ground portion of these to help shade seedlings i'd started during the summer ..something that isn't easy to do due to our heat / intensity of the sun here..



These also help keep bugs from accessing / eating the seedlings while they get going.


Another thing i'm trialing, placing a simple cage made from hardwire cloth over the tops of these.. Allows water and sun to reach the seed, but keeps out specific native birds here that like to dig through the soil..

Regionally native Senna sp in this one, and another placed on the opposite side of this bed...



Once the seedlings are big enough to thwart attention form those birds, i can remove both the cage and sleeve.. 

[happypalms]

Declared  a weed in Australia. A very big problem in agriculture. One plus side to it is butterflies love it to lay eggs on, so very butterfly attracting plant. 

[Mazat]

17 hours ago, Tracy said:

Did you see the plant the pod came from?  In that it was December I wouldn't be surprised if the plant had already gone dormant.   I don't recall the elevation in St Gallen compared to Appenzell that I visited a year and a half ago.  I have photos of native species we encountered on hikes around Appenzell which I will review.   There were information signs on hikes there as well as in Luzerne showing native flowers and plants.

The fruit was lying on the floor in the hall where the plants only have a temperature of around 16 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit), which is the maximum temperature that is heated in winter.

Appenzell lies at 770m / 2526 ft and is therefore higher than St. Gallen city at 675m/2214 ft.

It's exciting that you were so close to us.

How did you like it in general? Lucerne is very famous during the carnival season, but also very beautiful and interesting in other respects. The same goes for Appenzell. And yes, the hiking areas are varied. We on the lake have more of an oceanic climate cfb, while St. Gallen 

is much cooler, also Appenzell.

[Mazat]

17 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Garden would be best since most Milkweeds produce a deep root system..

With a lot of Asclepias  species, it usually takes about 3 years for seed- started plants to flower.  Not sure how long it would take to flower if the seed came off of the vine mentioned.. Guess-timate would be 2 years, but, ..that is just a guess..



Two ways i direct sow specific seed that doesn't do as well when started in pots  out in the yard, that allows me to monitor them a bit more closely as they germinate / get established after germinating include the following..

Using 1gal plastic pots, i cut the bottoms off of them and utilize as a sleeve inserted into the ground.

I'll then fill in the void with a soil mix that is easy for seeds to push through..  Once the seedlings have established themselves ( Approx a years worth of growth for most perennials, typically.. ) i can remove the " sleeve "



Because they have no bottom, roots can grow straight into the soil unimpeded..




One of several examples of this technique i did last summer / re-did this winter..



Seedlings in here include a native Milkweed and species of Acacia ( far right ) in this one..



In the first example, i set up " shade sleeves " made from hardwire cloth and shade cloth around the above ground portion of these to help shade seedlings i'd started during the summer ..something that isn't easy to do due to our heat / intensity of the sun here..



These also help keep bugs from accessing / eating the seedlings while they get going.


Another thing i'm trialing, placing a simple cage made from hardwire cloth over the tops of these.. Allows water and sun to reach the seed, but keeps out specific native birds here that like to dig through the soil..

Regionally native Senna sp in this one, and another placed on the opposite side of this bed...



Once the seedlings are big enough to thwart attention form those birds, i can remove both the cage and sleeve.. 

thank you very much for your explinations and Informations 🤗😄👍

this is a fascinating plant.

we will try it in the community garden.

today we had 31 degrees fahrenheit there.

weather forecasts are better now, more in the plus temperature range at night so good to set the seeds and to start this experiment.

[Mazat]

4 minutes ago, Mazat said:

thank you very much for your explinations and Informations 🤗😄👍

this is a fascinating plant.

we will try it in the community garden.

today we had 31 degrees fahrenheit there.

weather forecasts are better now, more in the plus temperature range at night so good to set the seeds and to start this experiment.