common milkweed

Common Milkweed is one of the most iconic and prolific native milkweeds that are culturally beloved for being magnets to Monarch Butterflies. These perennials are often seen in the wild or growing in disturbed sites. Its flowers are pleasantly fragrant, pink to purplish in color, develop in round-shaped clusters, and bloom in mid-summer. The many fragrant flowers of this plant attract a large array of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators in addition to Monarch Butterflies. Common Milkweed and other native milkweeds get their name from the milky sap they contain that renders the plant poisonous and inedible to most insect and animal pests. Monarch Butterflies lay eggs on these plants, and the Monarch caterpillars then inherit the sap’s defensive qualities by feeding primarily on Milkweed leaves. This results in Monarch Butterflies being poisonous to potential predators. Common Milkweed is extremely versatile, hardy, easy to grow, and can become aggressive with its large seed production and underground spreading via rhizomes. Common Milkweed is drought-tolerant, hard to transplant once established, and generally is hardy in most conditions except waterlogged soil and shady sites.

Details for Care:

• Soil – Well-drained, Loamy, Dry, Sandy, Clay, Poor soil-tolerant

• Sun – Full Sun, Partial Shade

• Maximum Height – 2 to 6 feet

• Bloom Time – June to August