Exposure Full-sun
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Asclepias speciosa. Native to western and central North America (including BC's Okanagan region), Showy Milkweed is the plant at the center of Monarch butterfly conservation efforts. This is the particular species of milkweed that the Monarch caterpillars feed on after hatching, so it is highly prized by egg-laying adults. The flowers are notoriously generous with nectar, so they attract a host of other butterfly species, as well as bees, hummingbirds, and many other pollinators. The plants grow to around 90cm (36") tall, with greyish green foliage topped by spherical clusters of pink flowers. Once the seed pods form, they can be cut and dried to good effect. Plant Showy Milkweed seeds anywhere to help with pollinator conservation.
Note: This species spreads by self-seeding as well as spreading its rhizomatous roots. In favorable settings, it can spread aggressively. For this reason, we recommend it for larger containers or for areas where it can be controlled through regular pruning. To avoid self-sowing, simply cut the seed pods off before they mature.
Showy Milkweed also happens to be pretty much deer-proof.
Perennial.
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Latin
Latin
Ascelpias sp.
Family: Apocynaceae
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: Hardy to Zone 3
Timing
Timing
Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date and transplant towards late spring. Milkweed requires cold stratification to break dormancy. Sow the seeds in damp soil in 18 cell plug inserts and place in a refrigerator for two weeks or place outside in early spring. Transplant when the seedlings are 2 inches (5cm) tall. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-25°C (50-75°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-35 days.
We have had success direct sowing A. tuberosa in March, with blooms the first year. In our experience, A. speciosa returns with vigour in the second year and begins blooming by June here on the west coast.
Starting
Starting
Barely cover the small seeds using sterilized seed starting mix. Space transplants 30-60cm (12-24″) apart.
Growing
Growing
For many years several Asclepias species were listed as invasive weeds because of their sometimes aggressive spreading by underground rhizomes and their giant, dandelion-like seeds. The seeds emerge from very conspicuous pods which are easily removed before they dry and crack. As the population of wild Asclepias diminished, so did the populations of many butterflies that depend on them as food and nursery plants (including the endangered Monarch). Now that they have been de-listed, we encourage home gardeners to grow them with the advance knowledge that they can spread. Try growing them in a large container like a half barrel, and be conscious of the seed pods as they develop. In short, please be responsible with Asclepias species.
Note: All parts of the plant are harmful if eaten. Flowers are not edible.
Download our Asclepias tuberosa Factsheet.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date and transplant towards late spring. Milkweed requires cold stratification to break dormancy. Sow the seeds in damp soil in 18 cell plug inserts and place in a refrigerator for two weeks or place outside in early spring. Transplant when the seedlings are 2 inches (5cm) tall. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-25°C (50-75°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-35 days.
Barely cover the small seeds using sterilized seed starting mix. Space transplants 30-60cm (12-24″) apart.
For many years several Asclepias species were listed as invasive weeds because of their sometimes aggressive spreading by underground rhizomes and their giant, dandelion-like seeds. The seeds emerge from very conspicuous pods which are easily removed before they dry and crack. As the population of wild Asclepias diminished, so did the populations of many butterflies that depend on them as food and nursery plants (including the endangered Monarch). Now that they have been de-listed, we encourage home gardeners to grow them with the advance knowledge that they can spread. Try growing them in a large container like a half barrel, and be conscious of the seed pods as they develop. In short, please be responsible with Asclepias species.
Note: All parts of the plant are harmful if eaten. Flowers are not edible.
