While common milkweed isn't well-suited for a formal flower bed, it is a wonderful plant for pollinators and other insects. Throughout its range, over 450 insects reportedly use the plant in some way. Bees and butterflies will visit the fragrant flowers for nectar, and the monarch butterfly's caterpillars rely heavily on common milkweed as a food plant. Its size and tendency to form large colonies via rhizome typically prevents its use in small, formal landscapes. If interested in edibility, a little online research may provide some surprising results.
Bloom time: June - August
Height: 4 to 5 feet
Space: 3 to 5 feet
Light: Sun to light shade
Moisture: Average
Seed: Sow in time to provide at least 30 days of cold, moist stratification. The following is for 10 seeds per square foot:
- 200 seeds per packet
- 4,000 seeds per ounce
- 1 ounce per 400 square feet
