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Native Wildflower · Easy

How to Grow Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Your complete guide to growing Common Milkweed.

☀SunFull sun (6+ hours)
💧WaterDrought tolerant
🗺Zones3–9
📏Height3-5 feet
Common Milkweed📷 Wikimedia Commons

When to Plant Common Milkweed

Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.

ZoneStart IndoorsDirect SowHarvest
Zone 3 — May – July —
Zone 4 — April – June —
Zone 5 — April – June —
Zone 6 — April – June —
Zone 7 — March – May —
Zone 8 — March – May —
Zone 9 — February – April —

Companion Plants for Common Milkweed

✓ Good companions

Black-Eyed Susan

Blooms at similar times, attracts complementary pollinators and beneficial insects

Goldenrod

Extends late-season nectar sources for monarchs and other pollinators

Joe Pye Weed

Attracts monarch butterflies and provides tall backdrop structure

Little Bluestem Grass

Provides structural support and creates natural prairie ecosystem conditions

Prairie Dropseed

Provides ground cover and creates natural prairie plant community

Purple Coneflower

Attracts beneficial pollinators and creates habitat diversity for monarch butterflies

Wild Bergamot

Attracts different pollinator species and provides nectar when milkweed is not blooming

Wild Lupine

Fixes nitrogen in soil and supports different butterfly species

✗ Keep away from

Crown Vetch

Aggressive invasive that can outcompete and smother native milkweed plants

Purple Loosestrife

Invasive wetland plant that crowds out native species and alters habitat

Tree of Heaven

Releases allelopathic chemicals that inhibit growth of native plants including milkweed

Notes from the garden

A greener inbox, occasionally.

Seasonal planting ideas, useful tips and a little inspiration. No weeds.