Planting Milkweed works best in mixed butter��y and wild��ower gardens. In the landscape, space plants �� to �� feet apart. ��or the best effect, place in clusters of three or more plants. Seeds The small, ��at seeds are born in pods that split to facilitate release. ��ttached to each seed are silky white ��laments that aid in wind dispersal. ��eeds may be collected from plants once pods split. ��ative ecotype Milkweed seeds are generally not commercially available. ��eeds can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of months. ��erminate on top of the soil with a light mix barely covering the seeds. ��nce sprouted, seedlings should be potted and allowed to mature until they are about ���� tall before transplanting to the garden or landscape. Plants Milkweeds are typically available in ����inch, ����inch and gallon pots. Hardiness Butter��yweed and Pink Milkweed are suited for zones ��a������b�� White Milkweed, zones ��a����b. Care Most milkweeds re��uire light annual pruning to remove dead stems. Site conditions Butter��yweed is best suited for dry to slightly moist well��drained soils in full sun. Pink and White Milkweeds re��uire moist to wet soils, and do especially well along pond edges or other such sites. They can tolerate short periods of drought once established, but during hot summer months, the soil should be kept moist to wet. Pink Milkweed does best in full sun but may ad��ust to a partially shaded site. White Milkweed can tolerate more shade. Both also do well in pots. Be sure to use a pot large enough for the plants to grow to their full potential. The pot can be placed into an even larger one to allow for water collection and retention. Milkweed is named for the milky latex sap that exudes from m stems and leaves es es when cut or broken. The sap is toxic to many animals and insects. W4 Note ��o not confuse these plants with their non��native relative, Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), which is typically sold at big box retail garden centers. The use of A. curassavica (a perennial that does not die back in winter in ��lorida, as do native milkweeds) can encourage overwintering in adult Monarch butter��ies and is linked to the transmission of ��phryocystis elektroscirrha (����) infection. Be sure to inquire about species to ensure you are purchasing a native, or visit a nursery that specializes in native plants. When purchasing milkweed plants or seeds, be sure to look for and request local ecotypes that have been propagated from responsibly collected seeds. Photo by Peg Urban Photo by Mary Keim Pink Milkweed Andrea England ������������������������ ���������������������������������������������������������� Photo by Peg Urban Monarch on Pink Milkweed Photo by Peg Urban White Milkweed
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