20+ Asclepias Showy Milkweed Seeds-ASCLEPIAS SPECIOSA-Excellent Perennial-B268--Attracts Hummingbirds, Butterflies etc
20+ Asclepias Showy Milkweed Seeds-ASCLEPIAS SPECIOSA-Excellent Perennial-B268--Attracts Hummingbirds, Butterflies etc
Description
The Showy Milkweed plant, like its relative Butterfly Weed, prefers to be grown in full sun. It is quite drought tolerant after its second year of establishment as the root system is not well-established the first year after growing from flower seed. It can be found along ditches and roads as well as in moist sites of meadows and fields. Plants grow to 40 inches tall and have large, round clusters of pink flowers.
This excellent perennial plant can be easily established by sowing Asclepias seeds. It has up to 40 inch stems and large gray-green oval leaves that can be 5 inches in length. The flowers form on top of the stems and are rounded clusters of rosy-pink flowers. One plant can form a large clump by its spreading rhizomes. Showy Milkweed is native to western and central North America , It is the plant at the center of Monarch butterfly conservation efforts. This is the particular species of milkweed that the Monarch caterpillars feed on after hatching, so it is highly prized by egg-laying adults.
The flowers are notoriously generous with nectar, so they attract a host of other butterfly species, as well as bees, hummingbirds, and many other pollinators. The plants grow to around 90cm (36") tall, with greyish green foliage topped by spherical clusters of pink flowers. Once the seed pods form, they can be cut and dried to good effect. Plant Showy Milkweed seeds anywhere to help with pollinator conservation. It should be noted that this species spreads by self-seeding as well as spreading its rhizomatous roots. In favorable settings, it can spread aggressively. For this reason, we recommend it for larger containers or for areas where it can be controlled through regular pruning. To avoid self-sowing, simply cut the seed pods off before they mature.
Showy Milkweed also happens to be pretty much deer-proof. Food source for Monarch butterflies Attracts pollinators of all kinds Perennial Deer-proof Great for containers Showy Milkweed Asclepias is an ornamental native wildflower. It's perfect for home landscaping and use in the butterfly garden or prairie meadow, and it attracts hummingbirds as well.
People have also used milkweed for fiber, food, and medicine all over the United States and southern Canada. Asclepias speciosa supply tough fibers for making cords and ropes, and for weaving a coarse cloth. It is a very versatile plant that is easily grown from flower seeds!
Growing Showy Milkweed from flower seed is very rewarding. It is appropriate to sow Asclepias seeds outdoors after the frosts of fall have begun. The cold, dormant planting will aid the germination of the seed in spring when temperatures warm. If sowing Milkweed seeds indoors or in a greenhouse, refrigerate the seed for 2 months before sowing. The cold treatment will help to break the dormancy of the seed.
Latin Name: Asclepias Speciosa
Temperature: 70F (21 C)
Average Germ Time: 21 - 28 days
Light Required: Yes
Depth: Surface sow seed, do not cover Sowing Rate: 3 - 4 seeds per plant
Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination
Plant Spacing: 36 inches
Season: Perennial
Hardiness Zones: 2 - 9
Height: 40 inches
Bloom Season: June - August
Bloom Color: Purple-Pink
Environment: Full sun
Soil Type: Tolerant of poor, dry soils, pH 5.8 - 7.2
Deer Resistant: Yes