Organic Milkweed
Perennial
3' tall
70 days to flower
Ascelpias syriaca
Description
NATIVE Perennial, resilient and simply gorgeous, milkweed is critical food for Monarch caterpillars and so many other beneficial pollinators.
Each year we gratefully lose count of the many gorgeous Monarch butterflies that feast as they float over our farm; indeed, our fields are surrounded by milkweed that smell of honey when they blossom, attracting countless butterflies and beneficial insects to their sticky sweet flower clusters.
Our seeds have already been cold-stratified, so sow with confidence, Friends!
Once established, your milkweed and monarchs will thrive in each other’s company for years, though starting milkweed from seed is more challenging than most seeds. At Fruition, we sow milkweed seeds indoors in soil blocks about 4 weeks before final frost to transplant after final frost. We share our organic milkweed seeds stratified so you don’t have to!
If you’re looking for other flowers attracting and feed Monarch butterflies, they love orange, red & yellow flowers especially, including zinnia, tithonia, echinacea, sunflower, calendula and marigold.
Sow Seeds & Sing Songs,
& the whole Fruition Crew
Milkweed Growing Instructions:
Our seeds have already been cold-stratified, so sow with confidence, Friends!
If your seeds aren’t coming from us, it’s important and easy to ‘cold stratify’ your milkweed seeds for full germination. To cold stratify your seeds, simply place them in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel in the fridge four weeks before you to sow them inside. Make sure they have plenty of light to grow straight seedlings; if they bend toward the light even a little, consider supplementing with lights. Transplant your four week old seedlings after last frost, at the same time as you plant your tomatoes. Milkweed is a perennial that can often become a nuisance weed in gardens, so transplant your seedlings in open soil outside your garden. Milkweed thrives in full as well as partial sun and be sure to plant it in a place you will easily enjoy seeing the grateful Monarchs. Milkweed will spread slowly on its own but feel free to harvest its seeds in fall to grow your sanctuary for the following season.
Sowing Date: Early spring or late fall
Seed Depth: 1/4 inch
Days to Germination: 7-21
Days to Maturity: 55
Plant spacing after thinning: 12 inches
Height: 3 feet
We don't have any growing guides for this product... yet!
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