Common Milkweed/Butterfly Flower Seeds

Heirloom, Native

#1319

(2 reviews)

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Availability: In Stock

Observe the monarch butterfly lifecycle right in your garden! This heirloom species provides food and habitat for monarch butterflies and is an essential host plant for their caterpillars. In summer, pink to purplish or white flowers are followed by decorative seedpods that are beautiful in dried arrangements. Robust, shrub-like perennial spreads by underground rhizomes. Native throughout much of the eastern and central United States. Sap is toxic; avoid eye/skin contact and do not ingest.

$2.29 150 mg

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Botanical Name: Asclepias syriaca

Family: Apocynaceae

Native: Eastern 2/3 of the U.S. and Canada

Hardiness: Perennial in USDA zones 3 and warmer

Plant Dimensions: 24"–36" tall

Variety Information: Individual flowers ½" long, born in pink to purplish or white clusters.

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom Period: Summer

Attributes: Attracts Pollinators, Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant

When to Sow Outside: 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date, or fall for spring germination.

When to Start Inside: 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date.

Days to Emerge: 14–28 days

Seed Depth: ¼"

Seed Spacing: A group of 3 seeds every 12"

Thinning: When 3" tall, thin to 1 every 12"

Harvesting: For longest vase life, cut flowers when 1/2–2/3 of petals are open. Sear the stem end with a flame to prevent the sap from sealing the stem. Wear gloves; milkweed sap can cause skin and eye irritation and can be toxic if ingested.

Fall Sown Flowers
Stratification and Scarification
Milkweed: Sow and Grow Guide

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Common Milkweed/Butterfly Flower Seeds Reviews

2 reviews

Challenging

Aug 17, 2019

These were difficult to grow. Had to stratify and so far only 4 plants are growing. All still very small, under a foot high. Hope they come back next year!

Diana DeAngelis

Owner Response: Hi Diana, We are sorry these were challenging for you. We have a Milkweed: Sow and Grow Guide that you may find helpful: https://www.botanicalinterests.com/product/Milkweed-Sow-and-Grow-Guide .

Had success with germination.

Dec 26, 2019

After putting seeds on a moistened paper towel in a baggie in fridge had good germination. I even had monarchs laying eggs on the leaves after transplanting the seedlings into the ground.

Leo Gat