Common Milkweed

Full or partial sun. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is the plant most people think of when they 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 sweet scented flowers attract and benefit a plethora of 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. Plant some today to help counter the increasing threat to the Monarch population.

Monarch butterflies lay their eggs exclusively on plants in the Asclepias genus, otherwise known as milkweeds. You’re sure to see Monarchs when you plant milkweeds. Milkweeds contain cardiac glycosides (organic compounds) which are absorbed by the monarch caterpillars – whose sole source of food is milkweed foliage – making them and the adult butterflies toxic to birds and other predators.