Milkweed Seeds - Butterfly
$3.25
Asclepias tuberosa
Vibrant orange flowers grow in clusters against dark green leaves. It’s a favorite to all pollinators but especially monarch butterflies. Plants grow 18 to 30 inches tall. Southeast native.
Direct seed in early spring or transplant into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Milkweed benefits from cold stratification. It will need full sun and less-fertile soil. Water well to ensure good germination. Once germinated, milkweed will need at least an inch of water per week. Typically grown for flowers. Perennial.
- Planting Information
- Growing Information
| Average Seed / oz | Seed / 100' Row | Average Yield / 100' Row | Days to Harvest |
| 4800 | n/a | n/a | 70 |
| Planting Season | Ideal Soil Temp | Sun | Frost Tolerance |
| Fall | 65-80°F | Full Sun | Lightly Tolerant |
| Sowing Method | Seed Depth | Direct Seed Spacing | Min. Seeds Per Packet |
| Direct Seed | 1/8" | 6-8" | 70 |
| Mature Spacing | Days to Sprout | Production Cycle | Seed Viability |
| 24-36" | 21-28 | Perennial | 2-3 years |
Site Selection
These North American native milkweeds are hardy perennials that will tolerate full sun to partial shade and thrive in a wide variety of soils.
Cultivation
For best results, expose seeds to moist, cold conditions (stratification) prior to sowing. For cold stratification, place seeds in moist potting soil or sand and store in a refrigerator for 4-6 weeks. After stratification, sow seeds in containers or direct seed outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. Sow seeds 1/8-1/4" deep and 6-8" apart. Optimal soil temperature for germination is 65-80˚F. Seeds will sprout in 10-28 days. Thin seedlings so that mature plants are 24-36" apart.
Seeds can also be direct sown outdoors in the fall where they will stratify naturally and germinate the following spring.