(Asclepias speciosa ‘Showy’)
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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
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Medicinal
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Other Uses
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Companion Planting
Genus: Asclepias
Species: speciosa
Variety: Showy Milkweed
Also Known As: Greek Milkweed, Silkweed
Native to: Alberta, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Manitoba, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Introduced into: Baltic States.
Ease of Growing: Easy
Grown as: Perennial
Maturity (Blooms): Summer
Attracts Beneficial Insects?: Yes. Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees are attracted to the flowers. Monarch butterflies lay eggs on this plant and the resulting larvae (caterpillars) use the plant leaves as a food source.
Containers: Yes
Light: Full Sun
Soil Moisture: Medium
Height: 24-36”
Spacing: 18-24”
USDA Zone: 3a-9b
Produces: thick upright stems, 8” velvety oval shaped greenish gray leaves, and aromatic star shaped light pink to pinkish purple flowers.
Toxicity: Milkweed contains toxic alkaloids and cardenolides, which can cause nausea and vomiting in low doses, and death in high doses. Animals avoid milkweed if other forage is available. Consider wearing gloves when working with these plants because the milky sap is poisonous if ingested and can be toxic to human skin. Can be poisonous to livestock.
Stem fibers of milkweed are used by Native Americans to make course cloth, string, cords, and ropes. At Zuni, NM, the silky seed floss is spun into yarn and woven into a special fabric for dancers. Hybrids of A. speciosa and A. syriaca are being tested for commercial seed floss production as a hypo-allergenic substitute for goose down.
Suggested Varieties
(Tagetes erecta ‘Naughty Marietta’)
(Tagetes erecta ‘Sparky Mix’)
(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, this plant reaches the height of 6-10' and features a fast-growing vine with heart-shaped dark green leaves, and 5" deep purple flowers with ruby red centers. This plant can be grown in containers or hanging baskets, attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows!
(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, this plant reaches the height of 6-9' and features a fast-growing vine with 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 American but can be found growing throughout the southern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 6-9' and features a fast-growing vine with 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, this plant reaches the height of 6-9' and features a fast-growing vine with heart-shaped dark green leaves and 3-4" flower blooms in varied 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. At maturity, this plant can reach a height over 10' long and features a fast-growing vine with heart-shaped dark green leaves and 5-6" pure white, fragrant flowers. 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 can be commonly found growing in dry areas of meadows, plains, and prairies throughout every region of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 5-6' and features hairy stems, hairy heart-shaped green leaves, and 4-6” flowers that bloom in autumn colors such as yellow, orange, red, bronze, or mahogany. 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 great as a cut flower!
(Helianthus annuus ‘Mammoth’)
Mammoth Sunflower is a native annual plant that can be commonly found growing in dry areas of meadows, plains, and prairies throughout every region of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the 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 the height of 4-6' and features 3-12” lobed dark green leaves, and 3” orange-red flowers that have orange-yellow disks. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, and is great as a cut flower!
(Helianthus annuus ‘Velvet Queen’)
Velvet Queen Sunflower is a native annual plant that can be commonly found growing in dry areas of meadows, plains, and prairies throughout every region of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 3-4' and features hairy stems, hairy heart-shaped dark green leaves, and 4-6” flower 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!