🦋 MONARCH BUTTERFLY HABITAT – Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a vital host plant for monarch butterfly larvae. Planting this native wildflower helps support monarch populations by providing an essential food source for caterpillars. Suitable for USDA Zones 3–9.
🌸 FRAGRANT BLOOMS – Grows 3–5 ft. tall and produces fragrant pink to mauve flower clusters measuring 2–4 inches wide. Thrives in full sun to partial shade and attracts native bees, honeybees, hummingbirds, hoverflies, and other pollinators.
🌿 PERENNIAL GROWTH HABIT – A hardy perennial for USDA Zones 3–9 that typically returns each year through rhizomes and natural reseeding. Grown from open-pollinated seeds for dependable performance.
🌱 PLANTING AND GERMINATION – Direct sow in fall for natural cold stratification or refrigerate seeds for 30 days before spring planting. Sow 1/8–1/4 inch deep in well-drained soil. Germination generally occurs at 60–70°F.
☀️ ADAPTABLE TO VARIOUS SOILS – Once established, common milkweed is drought tolerant and thrives in average to poor, well-drained soils with minimal watering or fertilization. Decorative seed pods provide lasting seasonal interest through fall.
