Milkweed

Type: Open-pollinated perennial
Packet size: 10 seeds

Asclepias syriaca. Common Milkweed is a native perennial wildflower and an essential host plant for Monarch butterflies. Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed plants, making Common Milkweed an excellent choice for creating Monarch butterfly habitat at home.

Established plants produce fragrant clusters of pink to mauve flowers that provide nectar for Monarch butterflies, bees, and other beneficial pollinators. Common Milkweed is especially well suited for pollinator gardens, butterfly gardens, meadows, fence lines, native plantings, and naturalized areas.

We offer these Common Milkweed seeds at a low price to encourage more gardeners to plant milkweed and create habitat for Monarch butterflies.

Please note: Common Milkweed spreads naturally by underground rhizomes and can form colonies over time. It is best planted where it has room to naturalize, such as meadows, fence lines, larger pollinator gardens, and naturalized areas.

🌱 Growing Information

How to Grow Common Milkweed from Seed

Planting Depth: ¼ inch
Seed Spacing: 12–18 inches
Row Spacing: 24–36 inches
Germination Time: 14–28 days after proper stratification
Days to Bloom: Often blooms in the second or later growing season
Sun Requirements: Full Sun

Planting Tips:
Common Milkweed seeds benefit from a period of cold, moist stratification to improve germination. For natural stratification, sow seeds outdoors in late fall or winter and allow seasonal temperatures to prepare the seeds for spring germination.

For spring planting, place seeds in a slightly moist medium in the refrigerator for approximately 30 days before sowing. Plant about ¼ inch deep in well-drained soil and keep the soil lightly moist while seeds germinate.

Once established, Common Milkweed is hardy and relatively drought tolerant. Plants return year after year and may gradually spread to form a larger patch, providing valuable habitat and food for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators.