Common Milkweed
Common Milkweed is the plant that often comes to mind when we hear the word "milkweed." This milkweed thrives in almost any well-drained soil, and produces a profusion of lavender to pink flowers in midsummer. The extremely fragrant blooms …
| Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
|---|---|
| Soil Moisture | Dry, Medium |
| Sun Exposure | Full Sun, Partial |
| Height | 2' - 4' |
| Bloom Color | Lavender, Pink |
| Bloom Time | June, July, Aug |
| Spacing | 1' |
| Hardiness Zones | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| Root Type | Rhizome |
| Benefits | Birds, Butterflies, Pollinators, Hummingbirds, Host Plant |
| Seeds per Oz | 4000 |
| Propagation Treatment | Moist Stratification |
| Days to Moist Stratify | 10 days |
| Direct Sowing Time | Spring, Early Summer, Fall |
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is the plant that often comes to mind when we hear the word "milkweed." The upright form and large oval leaves have a bold, architectural effect that contrasts so well with prairie grasses and numerous prairie wildflowers. This familiar milkweed thrives in almost any well-drained soil, and produces a profusion of lavender to pink flowers in midsummer. The extremely fragrant blooms attract and benefit many pollinators. This is one of the easiest and fastest to establish of the milkweeds, as it spreads rapidly by rhizomes and grows readily from seed.
Common Milkweed is a host plant for Monarch butterflies. Monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on plants in the Asclepias genus, otherwise known as milkweeds. These plants help support and counter the increasing threats to a declining Monarch butterfly population. You're sure to see Monarchs in the garden when you plant milkweeds.
- Present in state
- Present in county and native
- Present in county, but introduced
- Not present in state
- Present and rare, native in county
- Previously present, now locally extinct
- State or county listed as noxious
- Present in state, exotic
Native plants can be grown outside of their native range in the appropriate growing conditions. This map shows the native range, as well as the introduced range, of this species.
Plant Shipping
- We ship plants in the spring, and in the fall – during our plant-shipping periods.
- At this time, we have finished taking plant orders for fall 2022. Sign up for our emails to be notified when we start taking new orders, for spring 2023 shipping.
- During checkout, you will choose a Shipping Week for your plant delivery (availability is filled on a first-come-first-serve basis). The shipping week that you choose will be included in your email order confirmation.
- When your plants have shipped you will receive an email with tracking information.
- Learn more about how we ship your plants …
Seed Shipping
- Seed orders are shipped year-round, and are shipped within a week of your order.
General Information
- We are not able to combine a new order with a previous order, for shipping.
- Plants and Seeds are shipped separately and have different shipping rates.
- With all orders, credit cards are pre-authorized and charged when your order is placed.
- We are not able to arrange orders for pick-up at the Nursery. All orders are shipped.
- Plants and Seeds are shipped to destinations within the contiguous United States, only.
Common Milkweed is in a 3" pot (2.6" wide X 3.5" deep). The size of the plants themselves will vary, depending upon the time of year that they are shipped. Plants that arrive in April may be only 2" high, or just starting to emerge. Plants that arrive in June will be significantly larger – up to 6" – having spent 2 additional months in the greenhouse. In a fall shipment the native perennials are usually heading into their dormant period and that is reflected in their appearance and size. The plants may look sleepy, but the root is vital and will produce a healthy plant the following spring. In our Frequent Questions section we show a photo of a box of plants being packed for shipping and if you scroll down the page you can find several examples of plant sizes.
