Asclepiasspp.

Meadows are one of my pet places to be , largely because of the lovely milkweed that I often find there .

Tall and topped with sprays of efflorescence , an arrow - straightaway prow with funky look oval leaves , and crawling with caterpillars , beetles , and butterfly stroke ? Yeah , that ’s the works for me .

You ’re likely familiar with the common milkweed seen in hayfield and wayside across the country , but the milkweed family is actually vast . We ’re lead to take a look at some different cultivars used in gardens and watch how to grow this plant .

White and purple milkweed flowers, with an orange and black Monarch butterfly, and large green leaves.

Photo by Matt Suwak.

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More significant than that , though , we ’re going to talk about the grandness of milkweed in the environment . Here ’s what ’s ahead in this article :

What You’ll Learn

Buckle in , we ’re go to get started .

Start with the Basics

Milkweed is botanically know asAsclepiasspp . and has over one hundred known species . It was identify by Carl Linnaeus after the Greek god of healing , Asclepius , and the mintage is native to the Americas .

This nod to a graven image of healing is because of the utilization of the cosh as a medicinal assist , namely for dysentery and warts , by the aboriginal hoi polloi in the Americas .

While the milklike white latex inside the stems is often toxic , the rest of the fibers in the industrial plant have earnedAsclepiasthe nickname “ Silk of America . ”

An orange and black Monarch butterfly is perched on a cluster of pink milkweed flowers, with green leaves, printed with green and white text.

Photo by Matt Suwak.

These fibers have been used for insulation and cleanse oil spills and can be found in some hypoallergenic pillows .

But most of us bang the note value of milkweed because of its necessary in the life cps of the monarch butterfly .

The Milkweed and the Butterfly

As a kid , I recall learning that milkweed sap is toxic . But monarch cat can eatAsclepiassafely and then become toxic to predators subsequently on in their life cycle .

Our instructor went into the meadow outside of the school , institute a sovereign caterpillar on a piece of silkweed , and fetch it in to show us .

stash of children watched the chrysalis organisation and look impatiently for the butterfly stroke to moulting . It did , eventually … over the weekend , when nobody was around !

An orange and black Monarch butterfly is perched on a cluster of pink milkweed flowers, with green leaves, printed with green and white text.

Our teacher said she discharge it into the wild to prevent it from being cooped up for too long .

I do n’t know if the thing simply die and she did n’t desire to break our tiny seven - year - old heart , but I do know that the lesson she taught about the lifelike dynamic of milkweed and butterfly adhere with me for the relief of my life .

How Integral Is this Relationship?

In a word : it’sabsolutelyintegral !

Monarch caterpillars absolutely depend onAsclepiasfor their diet , but so too do a turn of insects all specialized in dining on the otherwise - toxic whitish muggins of the plant .

A monarch butterfly will lay its egg on the underside of a leaf . In fact , this is the only place where a sovereign will lay its egg .

Closeup of a cluster of purple and white Asclepias flowers, with green leaves, in bright sunshine.

When the eggs hatch , the petite cat set out go to town , and champ down on the Asclepias .

Amazingly , the industrial plant have build - in defenses like irritating haircloth and their said raw toxin to slow the buffet line down , but they do not altogether prevent the insects from using the plant as a food source .

Most monarchs live for an norm of four week , but every fourth generation live on for six to eight calendar month !

Orange asclepias blooming in a garden bed, with blue flowers in the background.

This is the multiplication that will dispatch an incredible flight of stairs to the southerly regions of North America , to roost and overwinter before stay the journey northward to start the cycle afresh .

This industrial plant is also a primary food source and tax shelter for a variety of beetles and has earned its piazza as a vital native plant mintage for hefty ecosystem nationwide .

The Butterfly Garden

The popularity of butterfly gardens was spurred in a handsome style because of the plight of the crowned head , and this style of garden has draw in plenty of folk music to the realm of gardening . That produce me love butterfly stroke garden !

Asclepiasand other native bloom likeblack - eyed Susans , echinacea , joe - pye weed , sweet alyssum , andsunflowersare some of the prosperous - to - grow plants that may make up a successful butterfly stroke garden .

All butterfly are pollinatorsand areattracted to this style of bloom . Plant the right types , and you ’ll have a never - ending summer show of cascading butterfly stroke !

Yellow, black, and white striped Monarch butterfly caterpillar, in the palm of a person’s dirt-covered hand.

The biggest benefit of a healthy butterfly stroke garden is that it strengthens the eternal sleep of your local ecosystem .

When butterflies are present , that mean birdie , cricket bat , and other critter that feed on butterflies are able-bodied to make a resurgence as well .

Think of a butterfly garden , and milkweed ’s billet in it , as an of the essence strand in the nutrient web !

Closeup of a light green Monarch butterfly chrysalis, with a yellow and black stripe at the top, in the palm of a person’s dirt-covered hand.

Ideal Planting Conditions and Potential Problems

Despite share a name , many milkweed typesrequire different turn conditions . Some favor raging and teetotal areas while others fly high only in moist circumstance , but they all need ample sun to do their best .

The common milkweed does well in what might be considered middling condition : moderately juiceless and well - run out soil , no particular fertilizers or victuals requirements , and abouteight hour of sun a day .

Most of the mintage I ’ve work with prefer that “ average ” portmanteau word of machine characteristic . These plants can be plunk down into the garden and be given a springtimecoating of compost , then be on their mode to develop lovely and stunning flowers .

A green stalk of milkweed with narrow green leaves and a monarch butterfly caterpillar feeding on the plant, with a meadow, trees, and blue sky in the background.

Most do n’t requireany extra wateringexcept during the hottest teetotal spells .

Because of their toxicity , Asclepiasalso attracts few complaint or problems .

Besides distinctive fungal issues that can be obtain in many areas of the garden with an abundance of wet , milkweed can hurt from general heat accent and damage . Remove yellowed leaves and those with lots of damage from insect .

Bright red Asclepias flowers with yellow centers, on a plant with green stems and long, narrow, green leaves.

Mites can become a problem , but any general insecticidal intervention works ; just be thrifty not to poisonthose desirable insects , as well !

Milkweed yellows phytoplasma is a more serious issue identified by malformed , yellow maturation and branch dieback .

The only solution here is to take out and destroy the septic plants before they spread the ailment to other plants .

A bee pollinates white and rose-colored milkweed flowers growing in a cluster on a plant with green buds and leaves.

To stave off these condition , keep your plants thinned out and avoid stand up pools of water and over - lacrimation in worldwide . Milkweed would rather be too dry than too lactating !

How to Start Growing Your Own Milkweed

Many garden center will deal a variety of milkweed species during the grow season , but finding live flora online can be unmanageable .

That ’s because , for all of their toughness to born predators and leeway of farm conditions , Asclepiascan be very sensitive to transplantation and manipulation .

For that reason , I advocate starting yours from seed . Fortunately for those whoreallylike to do it all yourself , milkweed plant life make extraordinarily generous bounties of seeds for you to reap .

An orange and black Monarch butterfly on a milkweed plant, with green leaves and fuzzy light green seed pods, with yellow black eyed-susans in the background.

Each individual seed fuel pod can contain a hundred or more seeded player , and plants have multiple seed pods each !

I usually gather up my seeds from the garden of friends and clients , but I ’ve snagged a exclusive pod or two when out hike as well .

Asclepiasseeds demand a period of cold to become executable , with some sum up wet . This cognitive operation is call “ dusty social stratification , ” and you ’ve got two easy options for how to accomplish this chore :

Upward-facing shot of orange milkweed flowers with green leaves and long stems, growing in front of a metal fence, with a brown wood fence and a tan stucco building in the background.

1. Chill Manually

Place your seed on a moist paper towel and plop them into a ziplock bag .

tag the handbag with the date , and keep it somewhere in your refrigerator where it wo n’t be incommode ; you require to pull up stakes the seeds for the most part undisturbed for about thirty daytime before they become viable .

After stratifying , you’re able to originate your seeds in a rise sensitive about three to four hebdomad before the last freeze date .

Bright orange asclepias flowers growing on tall stems with narrow green leaves in a field, with blue sky and fluffy clouds in the background.

2. Direct Sow in Cool Climates

Directly sow in your seeded player in the garden in the late dusk andlet the winter weathertake care of cold social stratification for you !

If you ’re cold stratify the semen yourself …

All of these footmark can be skitter if you ’re sow the seeds out of doors , but I would urge planting great deal of extra seeds if you take this road .

Pink and white Asclepias with narrow green leaves, on a brown background with selective focus.

you could thin them out subsequently as the time of year go away on , and this helps to obviate the frustrating experience of having none of the seed germinate because you sowed too sparsely .

If you desire to set the common Sonchus oleraceus ( A. syriaca ) , you may find seedsavailable from Earthbeat Seedsin packets of 30 .

A. syriaca

Red and yellow Asclepias flowers with narrow green leaves.

Common milkweed grows in Zones 4 to 9 and reaches a height of about three feet . It ’s the flora we ’re most familiar with seeing growing in the wild .

For the swamp milkweed ( A. incarnata ) , you may obtain seeds in packets of 30also available from Earthbeat Seeds .

A. incarnata

Milkweed seeds on a dry pod that has broken open in the fall, with dry, dead stalks of the plant surrounding it, and green trees in the distance.

The swamp variety show ofAsclepiaswill develop in Zones 3 to 9 and can reach a height of five feet marvelous !

The whorled milkweed ( A. verticillata ) is a endearing plant for those who desire something a bit more diffident – reach about two human foot marvelous liquid ecstasy – that turn in Zones 4 to 9 .

Heirloom Bloodflower Seeds , useable from Eden Brothers

A hand holds a milkweed pod, with feathery white seeds.

desire to add together a splash of dazzle colour to your flower beds ? Thebloodflower , or sunset flower(A. curassavica ) is another stunning variety , with red and yellow prime and a easy lay tiptop of about 36 inches .

This variety is recommended for Zones 3 to 9 .

A. Tuberosa Seeds , available from Eden Brothers

A close up of a butterfly feeding from common milkweed flowers pictured on a soft focus background.

Theaptly named butterfly stroke weed(A. tuberosa ) is another colorful variety , with vibrant orange flowers . It will develop to a height of 24 to 36 inch in geographical zone 3 to 9 .

Most of these company urge cold stratify the seeds before spring planting to further insure sprouting , so order of magnitude early ! Otherwise , they ’re ready to go if you seed outdoor in the fall .

A. Incarnata‘Ice Ballet ’ plant life in # 2 Container , available from Nature Hills

A close up of a butterfly feeding from a swamp milkweed flower growing in the garden.

If you REALLY want a live plant , I recommend ‘ Ice Ballet,’available from Nature Hills Nurseryin # 2 containers It grow to about two to three metrical unit in height and has a lovely shade of blanched to its flowers .

I ’ve seen it in a few quality gardens , and I wish I saw it in more because this works is a real beauty .

Get Planting and Attract Those Butterflies!

While they are tender and require particular manipulation when untested , Asclepiasbecome hardy and easy to care for within a few week .

Better yet , they pull in a veritable swarm of wildlife , and that ’s always a good thing forthe eco - conscious gardener !

Asclepiasare at their best when they ’re given room to rise and do what they want to do , but with the right attention , they can shine in even the most well - manicured garden .

Red and yellow Asclepias curassavica with an orange and black Monarch butterfly, on a plant with narrow green leaves, on a mottled green and brown background in soft focus.

The beetles , the butterflies , andthe pollinators will all give thanks youfor giving this iconic American perennial a shot in your garden !

And for morepollinator - friendly plantings to add to your landscape painting , check out these template next :

picture by Matt Suwak © demand the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published September 25th , 2018 . Last updated August 1st , 2023 . ware exposure via Earthbeat Seeds , Eden Brothers , Nature Hills Nursery , and Seed Needs .

A cluster of orange Asclepias tuberosa flowers, with an orange and brown butterfly perched on top, with green foliage in shallow focus in the background.

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White blooming Asclepias ‘Ice Ballet’ with green narrow leaves.

Pink Asclepias flowers with green foliage.