2.png
4.png
5.png
6.png
7.png
8.png
10.png
2.png
4.png
5.png
6.png
7.png
8.png
10.png

Common Milkweed

from $5.00

(Asclepias syriaca)
Essential for Monarch butterflies. 

Our fields here, at The Wild Patch, are loaded with Common Milkweed. So we are also loaded with Monarch butterflies. That’s because Milkweed is the only plant that Monarchs will lay their eggs, which makes Milkweed the sole source of food for its larvae. Common Milkweed is a beautiful sight in bloom, with its large, whimsical pom-pom shaped flowers that range from light pink to deep pink-purple. After it blooms, its seed pods look like bird beaks, giving them so much added interest in the garden. This milkweed is very easy to grow from seed and it will form a large patch in no time. So, be sure to plant it where it has room to spread and run around. (Note: To keep Common Milkweed from spreading too much, a common strategy is to cut off the seed pods after they flower and before they open, usually in Sept. Also, if you prefer a milkweed that doesn’t spread as much, check out our more well-behaved Rose Milkweed-Asclepias incarnata.)

(Note: Now accepting orders for Fall — shipping begins Sept 1 . For local customers, plants available now-Sept 30 for local pick-up. Seeds ship year-round.)

Size:

(Asclepias syriaca)
Essential for Monarch butterflies. 

Our fields here, at The Wild Patch, are loaded with Common Milkweed. So we are also loaded with Monarch butterflies. That’s because Milkweed is the only plant that Monarchs will lay their eggs, which makes Milkweed the sole source of food for its larvae. Common Milkweed is a beautiful sight in bloom, with its large, whimsical pom-pom shaped flowers that range from light pink to deep pink-purple. After it blooms, its seed pods look like bird beaks, giving them so much added interest in the garden. This milkweed is very easy to grow from seed and it will form a large patch in no time. So, be sure to plant it where it has room to spread and run around. (Note: To keep Common Milkweed from spreading too much, a common strategy is to cut off the seed pods after they flower and before they open, usually in Sept. Also, if you prefer a milkweed that doesn’t spread as much, check out our more well-behaved Rose Milkweed-Asclepias incarnata.)

(Note: Now accepting orders for Fall — shipping begins Sept 1 . For local customers, plants available now-Sept 30 for local pick-up. Seeds ship year-round.)

PLANT FACTS:

Seed per packet: 100

Lifecycle: Perennial

Germination code: C(30)

Needs cold stratification: Yes

Bloom time: June, July, August

Bloom color: Pink

Light: Full sun - partial sun

Soil moisture:  Medium-wet to medium-dry

Soil texture: Sand, loam

Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

Height: 2-4’

Plant Spacing: 2-3’

USDA zones: 3-8

Deer resistance: High

WILDLIFE BENEFITED

• Caterpillars, Butterflies
• Host plant for monarch, queen and soldier caterpillars
• Host plant for Milkweed tussock moth


PAIRS WELL WITH:

You can create a beautiful - and continuous - butterfly garden by planting Common Milkweed with Joe Pye Weed, Ironweed, Aster and Goldenrod. There are different types of these companion plants, so be sure to select the type that’s native to your area.

GOOD TO KNOW…

  • Of all the milkweeds, Common Milkweed is one of the easiest to grow from seed and tends to establish itself quickly. 

    Germination code: C(30)
    Days to germination: 10-21
    Days to maturity: 2-3 years

    Indoors: Sow 4-8 weeks before the last frost in seedling trays. Fill with a seedling soil mixture and moisten the soil. Press two seeds in each cell. Cover with a thin layer (0.2” to 1.6”) of soil. Seeds germinate poorly on the soil surface. Spray or mist. Keep the seeds moist and give them light and warmth between 65º and 75ºF. Germination rates decrease significantly at higher than 85ºF. Transplant seedlings when they have one set, or more, of true leaves and the danger of frost has passed. 

    Outdoors: Can also sow directly outdoors in the fall and winter no deeper than 1.6”. Note: This plant does not do well in wet soil conditions. Seeds need a period of cold stratification in order to germinate and plants don’t flower until year 2. 

    Note: The Wild Patch is not responsible for buyer germination success. Liability of seller is limited to the cost of the item(s).

  • Many native plant seeds won’t sprout right away — they need certain conditions, like cold, warmth, or moisture, to break dormancy (their “sleeping” state). Germination codes are short labels (like A, B, C, etc.) that tell you what a seed needs to wake up and grow. For Common Milkweed, a germination code "C 30" means that the seeds require a period of cold, moist stratification for at least 30 days to break dormancy. 

  • It sounds harder than it is. There are two easy ways to cold stratify your seeds: 

    Method 1: Direct sow the seeds outdoors in late fall or early winter. The natural cycles of freezing and thawing will provide the necessary cold, moist stratification the seeds need and the seeds will germinate the following spring.

    Method 2: This method mimics a natural cold cycle. Just place the seeds in a plastic ziplock bag in between a damp coffee filter or with a small amount of moistened peat moss or sand. Store the bag in the refrigerator for 30+ days. Then remove and sow the seeds.