Asclepias syriaca / Asclépiade commune / Common milkweed

So, um, where’s your milkweed patch? Gotta have em.

Plant with good spacing around the exterior of your garden with good airflow. Trim or cut for aggressive management to encourage more rhizome spread.

Remember Monarchs like the smaller plants, free of aphids to lay eggs.

Growing: Sew outdoors in fall. Press gently to ensure soil contact. Cold stratification needed.

Start inside up to 2 months before last frost. Disturb roots as little as possible, but these plants are remarkably hardy.

Like most natives, syriaca will not flower in the first year.

Pro tips: Grows in shade, but may not bloom. That said, monarchs smaller, young milkweed best, so why not go for it!

Mark your milkweed! Syriaca is the last thing to come up in my garden. Sit on your hands, enjoy your morning coffees and wait. Don’t do what I did… thinking it died and plant another milkweed right next to it. Just a late bloomer worth waiting for!

See my blog post about transplanting, particularly from mow or construction zones. Not as fussy as the rumors say!

Crib notes: earlier and smaller are better but dig deep and do it anyway!