(Asclepias syriaca ‘Common’)
Common Milkweed is a native perennial flower that grows in open woods, fields, and along railroads and roadsides throughout the central and eastern United States. When mature, this plant can reach 3-4 feet tall. Its thick, upright stems support red-veined light green leaves and produce aromatic clusters of purplish-pink flowers in a dome-shaped formation. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is used to make fabric, glue, paper, soap, and twine, self-sows, has medicinal properties, and is used as a cut flower!
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General Information
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Germination
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Seedlings
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Harvesting
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Seed Saving
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Culinary & Medicinal
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Companion Planting
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Other Uses
Genus: Asclepias
Species: syriaca
Variety: Common Milkweed
Also Known As: Butterfly Flower, Silkweed, Silky Swallowwort, Virginia Silkweed
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward I., Québec, Rhode I., Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
Introduced into: Altay, Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hungary, Italy, Kirgizstan, Krym, Oregon, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia.
Ease of Growing: Moderate
Grown as: Perennial
Maturity (Blooms): June to August
Light: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Soil Moisture: dry to medium, well-drained.
Attracts Beneficial Insects?: Yes. Flowers are a nectar source for many butterflies and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae (caterpillars).
Containers?: No
Height: 36-48”
Spacing: 18-24”
USDA Zone: 3a-9b
Produces: thick upright stems, light green leaves that have red veins, and aromatic domed shaped clusters of purplish pink flowers.
Garden Uses: Butterfly gardens, meadows, prairies, or naturalized/native plant areas. This plant is considered by many gardeners to be too vigorous and weedy for borders.
Culinary
Flowers and young flower buds: cooked. They have a mucilaginous texture and a pleasant flavor, they can be used as a flavoring and a thickener in soups etc. The flower clusters can be boiled down to make a sugary syrup. The flowers are harvested in the early morning with the dew still on them. When boiled up they make a brown sugar.
Young shoots: cooked. An asparagus substitute. They should be used when less than 20 cm tall. A slightly bitter taste. Tips of older shoots are cooked like spinach.
Young seed pods: 3 - 4 cm long, cooked. They are very appetizing. Best used when about 2-4 cm long and before the seed floss forms, on older pods remove any seed floss before cooking them. If picked at the right time, the pods resemble okra. The sprouted seeds can be eaten. An edible oil is obtained from the seed. The latex in the stems is a suitable replacement for chicle and can be made into a chewing gum. It is not really suitable for use in tires. The latex is found mainly in the leaves and is destroyed by frost. Yields are higher on dry soils.
Known hazards: Although no specific reports have been seen for this species, many, if not all, members of this genus contain toxic resinoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides. They are usually avoided by grazing animals. The older leaves are poisonous if eaten in large quantities. The plant contains cardioactive compounds and is potentially toxic.
Medicinal
Companion Planting
Problems
Suggested Varieties
(Tagetes erecta ‘Naughty Marietta’)
Naughty Marietta Marigold is a compact annual flower that is native to Mexico but can be commonly found growing on banks and slopes throughout the central and eastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 6-12” and features divided green foliage and aromatic flower heads with yellow petals with mahogany streaks at their base. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and ladybugs, repels bean beetles, cabbage loopers, and nematodes, is both edible and medicinal, and can be used as a trap crop for aphids.
(Tagetes erecta ‘Sparky Mix’)
Sparky Marigold is a compact annual flower that is native to Mexico but can be commonly found growing on banks and slopes throughout the central and eastern United States. This plant grows up to 9-12 inches tall and has green foliage that is divided. Its orange and yellow flowers have wavy petals and emit a pleasant aroma. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and ladybugs, repels bean beetles, cabbage loopers, and nematodes, is both edible and medicinal, and can be used as a trap crop for aphids.
(Ipomoea purpurea ‘Grandpa Ott’)
Grandpa Ott' Morning Glory is a warm-weather annual flowering vine that is native to Mexico and South America but can be found growing in thickets, fallow fields, and along roadsides throughout the state of Arizona. At maturity, the vines of this plant can reach a length of 6-10' and features heart-shaped dark green leaves and 5" deep purple flowers with ruby red centers. This plant is adaptable and can grow in a container or hanging basket. It also has the added benefit of attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. In addition to being edible and medicinal, it has the unique ability to self-sow!
(Ipomea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’)
Heavenly Blue Morning Glory is a warm-weather annual flowering vine that is native to Mexico but can be found growing throughout the central and eastern United States. At maturity, the vines of this plant can reach a length of 6-9' and features heart-shaped dark green leaves and 4-5" bright sky-blue blooms with lovely white centers. This plant can be grown in containers or hanging baskets, attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, has medicinal properties, and self-sows!
(Ipomoea nil ‘Picotee Blue’)
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Picotee Blue Morning Glory is a warm-weather annual flowering vine that is native to Mexico and South America but can be found growing throughout the southern United States. At maturity, the vines of this plant can reach a length of 6-9' and features heart-shaped dark green leaves and dramatic 6" blue blooms with bright white edging a purple star inside. This plant can be grown in containers or hanging baskets, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and hummingbirds, has medicinal properties, and self-sows!
(Ipomoea purpurea ‘Tall Mixed’)
Tall Mixed Morning Glory is a warm-weather annual flowering vine that is native to Mexico and South America but can be found growing in thickets, fallow fields, and along roadsides throughout the state of Arizona. At maturity, the vines of this plant can reach a length of 6-9' and features heart-shaped dark green leaves and 3-4" flower blooms in shades of blue, pink, purple, and white. This plant can be grown in containers or hanging baskets, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and hummingbirds, has medicinal properties, and self-sows!
(Ipomoea alba ‘White’)
White Morning Glory is a warm-weather annual flowering vine that is native to Mexico and South America but can be found growing throughout several states. When fully grown, the vines of this plant can extend beyond 10 feet in length. It showcases dark green leaves that are heart-shaped and white fragrant flowers measuring 5 to 6 inches. This plant can be grown in containers or hanging baskets, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, lacewings, and pollinating moths, has medicinal properties, and self-sows!
(Helianthus annuus ‘Autumn Beauty’)
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Autumn Beauty Sunflower is a native annual flower that grows in dry areas of meadows, plains, and prairies throughout every region of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 5-6' and features hairy stems & heart-shaped green leaves, and 4-6” yellow, orange, red, bronze, or mahogany flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, birds, and butterflies, is resistant to rabbits, is a great trap crop for aphids, is both edible and medicinal, tolerates drought, makes dye, and is used as a cut flower!
(Helianthus annuus ‘Mammoth’)
Mammoth Sunflower is a native annual plant that grows in dry areas of meadows, plains, and prairies throughout every region of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 8-12' and features hairy stems, hairy heart-shaped dark green leaves, and 12-24” yellow flower heads. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, birds, and butterflies, is resistant to rabbits, is a great trap crop for aphids, is both edible and medicinal, tolerates drought, and makes dye!
(Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Mexican’)
Mexican Sunflower is an annual flower that is native to Mexico but can be commonly found growing throughout Louisiana and Florida. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 4-6' and features 3-12” lobed dark green leaves and 3” orange-red flowers with orange-yellow disks. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, and is used as a cut flower!
(Helianthus annuus ‘Velvet Queen’)
Velvet Queen Sunflower is a native annual plant that grows in dry areas of meadows, plains, and prairies throughout every region of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-4' and features hairy stems, hairy heart-shaped dark green leaves, and 4-6” flowers in shades of bronze, red, and mahogany with dark centers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, birds, and butterflies, is resistant to rabbits, is a great trap crop for aphids, is both edible and medicinal, tolerates drought, and makes dye!