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Common Milkweed Care Guide

Common Milkweed is very easy to care for once established! It really just needs a sunny spot with moderate watering and room to grow!

Common Milkweed

(Asclepias syriaca)

This tall lovely smelling perennial with lavender-colored blooms will attract Monarchs and pollinators to your garden for years to come. Loved by Monarch for their large leaves to feed many hungry caterpillars. Easy to maintain, deer and cold-resistant as well as poor soil tolerant! Will spread via rhizomes and seeds. Plant it in a space you don't mind a large patch of milkweed growing over time.


Native to most of the US and Canada! To prevent spreading cut pods off (if not collecting seeds), cover pods with organza bags/wrap with bands, collect seed pods as soon as they start to open, and remove new growth from the ground while still small.


DO NOT use any form of pesticides including "natural" methods. They will all be detrimental to the Monarch caterpillars. To remove aphids/milkweed bugs spray off with a water hose.


Keep away from children and pets. Toxic in large amounts if ingested. Protect eyes from sap when handling.


Seed Planting Instructions:

Easiest Method- Directly sow seeds in late fall early winter into flowerbed/soil and cover with 1/4 inch of soil. Thin seedlings in spring to 1-2 feed apart.


More Controlled Method- 4 weeks before planting place seeds in a thin layer onto damp paper towel (best to use distilled water), fold, place in plastic zip bag/air tight container and place in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. After 4 weeks of cold stratifying, plant in seed starter mix. If temperatures are below 60 degrees, start seeds indoors on seed mat. If above they can be directly sowed outdoors. Germination can take up to 4 weeks depending on temperatures.

Planting Requirements

  • Plant in full to partial sun

  • Soil: Well draining soil, sand, clay & loam

  • Moisture: Dry to medium

  • Hardiness Zone: 4a-9b

  • Hight: 4-6 feet

  • Spacing: 24-36 inches

  • Blooms from June to August

  • New plants will not bloom the first year

USDA, NRCS. 2022. PLANTS Database (https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/, 02/09/2022). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.

For comments, concerns or kudos please email me at: monarchmanornurseries@gmail.com

P.S. I love to see photos of my customers gardens!

Much Love, Kira


  • Home
  • Common Milkweed
  • Swamp Milkweed
  • Butterfly Weed
  • Honeyvine Milkweed
  • Cut & Come Again Zinnias
  • Mexican Sunflowers
  • Black-eyed Susan
  • Join Our Facebook Group
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