how do you grow milkweed from seed pods

How to Plant Milkweed

Full Answer

How do you start milkweed?

How do you start milkweed seedlings? Milkweed seedlings can be started indoors in a greenhouse or under artificial lighting and then transplanted outdoors after the average date of last frost. If seeds are started indoors, allow 4-8 weeks growing time before transplanting. Plastic flats can be used to start the seeds.

How do you prepare milkweed seeds for planting?

Step Two – Prepare the Seeds (Cold Stratification)

• Soak the coffee filters in water and shake off any excess water. ...
• Place 5-8 seeds in each wet filter, folding the filter over them to keep them securely inside.
• Put the filters in the plastic bags, 1 filter per plastic sandwich bag, and seal the bags shut.
• Label each sandwich bag with the type of milkweed!

More items...

How to germinate and grow milkweed seed?

Process to Germinate Milkweed Seeds

• Fill your containers with moist potting soil. ...
• Plant your seed. ...
• Add more soil. ...
• Mist the seeds with your spray bottle. ...
• Plant more seed. ...
• Mist the seeds. ...
• Place seeds in a location the receives morning sun and afternoon shade. ...
• Germination should occur a couple of weeks after temperatures reach 65-70F (20C) during the day.

How do you grow milkweed seeds?

been in moist, cold storage for 3 months to break seed dormancy and increase germination. Keep seed packs refrigerated until planting time! SITE SELECTION: The butterfly milkweed will perform better on a well-drained site. Swamp milkweed, as the name implies, prefers moist conditions. Both species require full sun.

Can you plant the seeds from a milkweed pod?

There are three things you can do with milkweed pods that are ready to harvest: Leave them on the plant and let nature do its thing. Open the pods and scatter the seeds in the late fall. Save the seeds to plant in the winter.

How long does it take to grow milkweed from seed?

SOWING SEED: Seed should be sown as soon as possible in loose soil after shallow cultivation. Lightly cover with soil and water well. Seeds should sprout in 1-2 weeks.

How do you get milkweed seeds from pods?

How to collectSplit the pod at the seam and peel open. Use your fingers to pull the seeds and the silk out.Do not collect open pods with numerous milkweed bugs on the seeds or pods. ... It is always best to collect only a portion of the seeds in a particular location and leave some for natural regeneration.

What is the best time to plant milkweed seeds?

FallFall Planting - Fall is the best time for planting milkweed seeds. The seeds won't germinate until spring because they require natural freezing and thawing to soften the seed coat so that the embryo plant can grow.

Can I just scatter milkweed seeds?

You can sow milkweed seeds by scattering them on the soil surface 1/4-1/2 inch apart, and then cover them with about 1/4 inch of additional soil. Water the area frequently after planting until plants become established. Many species need to be vernalized (cold treated) before planting.

Where should you not plant milkweed?

It is not recommended to plant milkweed within 10 miles of the coast in central and northern California where milkweed did not occur historically. Instead, plant a variety of flowers native to your region that provide nectar from early spring through fall to support monarchs and other pollinators.

Should I cut seed pods off milkweed?

Milkweed plants are known to spread so if you do not have room for more milkweed plants, cut the pods off in the fall when the pods are tan and the seeds are coffee brown. You can then give these seeds out to friends and family.

Can you harvest milkweed seeds from green pods?

Seeds in green pods are immature, so wait for pods to turn gold/brown and dry to be confident your seeds will be ripe and ready for next season. Once pods begin to cleave at the seam, even if they're a bit green, go ahead and harvest them: It won't be long 'til they burst open! Don't dally!

Does milkweed come back every year?

Will milkweed come back every year? Milkweed is a hardy perennial that can survive down to zone 3 and comes back every year in spring. While the foliage itself dies back and the plant goes dormant in the winter months, the rootstock is still very much alive and does not need protection.

Should I soak milkweed seeds before planting?

In an effort to improve germination rates, many gardeners place the seeds in packets made from paper towels and soak them in warm water for 24 hours prior to planting. This method seems to work especially well for seeds of species that require stratification.

How do you germinate milkweed seeds fast?

Soak milkweed seeds in water for several hours or overnight; tap water is okay. After the seeds have soaked, put them in a sealed plastic bag filled with moist stratification mix (and by “moist” we mean like a damp sponge, no excess water). Refrigerate the bag of moist seeds in their mix for at least two weeks.

How many milkweed plants should I plant?

To attract multitudes of monarchs to your garden, plant milkweed in groups of six or more, spacing plants or thinning seedlings to about 6 to 24 inches apart, depending on the species.

How fast does milkweed grow?

After the larvae have eaten the leaves, simply cut the plant off about two inches above the soil and new shoots will grow in 3-4 weeks.

Does milkweed grow back every year?

These native milkweed are perennials, meaning they come back year after year. Their aerial parts (flower, leaves, stem) die back but their rootstock remains alive throughout the winter. Cut back milkweed stalks in the late fall or winter, after they have produced seed pods and these seeds have had time to mature.

How do you germinate milkweed seeds fast?

Soak milkweed seeds in water for several hours or overnight; tap water is okay. After the seeds have soaked, put them in a sealed plastic bag filled with moist stratification mix (and by “moist” we mean like a damp sponge, no excess water). Refrigerate the bag of moist seeds in their mix for at least two weeks.

Can I plant milkweed seeds in the spring?

Milkweed seeds can be direct sown in spring, but transplants have better success. Fill pots or trays with light, well-drained soil. Add the seeds and cover with 0.25 inches of soil. Keep soil moist and pots in a sunny, warm spot or under grow lights.

How to grow milkweed from seed?

For the best results when growing milkweeds from seed, simply go outdoors anytime from late fall through mid-winter and drop milkweed seeds wherever you want them in the garden , just like Mother Nature does. Do not cover the seeds!

Is butterfly weed a milkweed?

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa): Unlike most other milkweeds, the flowers of butterfly weed are not pink, purple, or white. Instead, this milkweed species has flowers that are bright orange. Its short stature and clump-forming habit make it the perfect fit for most gardens. Butterfly weed doesn’t like to be transplanted, so starting from seed may prove more fruitful, though it can take years for a plant to go from seed to flower. Hardy in zones 3-9 and reaching just 2 feet in height, the jazzy orange flowers of butterfly weed are nothing short of spectacular.

Is swamp milkweed hardy?

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata): Don’t let the common name of this milkweed fool you. Just because “swamp” is in the name, doesn’t mean this species of milkweed requires wet conditions. In fact, swamp milkweed does grow in saturated soils, but it also grows just fine in well-drained garden soil. Plant this monarch butterfly host plant in full to part sun. It grows about four feet tall and is hardy in zones 3 to 7.

How to grow milkweed from seed?

Start Seeds In Peat Pots - It’s time to plant the cold-stratified Milkweed seeds. Fill the peat pots three-quarters to the top with potting soil. Gently add water until soil is damp. Place 1-2 cold stratified seeds in each pot. Cover with 1/4 inch of soil on top of the seed.

Why do we plant milkweed seeds in pots?

Transplant shock is the main reason that we suggest planting seeds in peat pots, as Milkweed roots are very sensitive.

How to water a peat plant?

The best way to water is from the bottom up: Use a flat pan under the peat pots and add a half inch of water to the bottom of the tray.

What is swamp milkweed?

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a showier variety of Common Milkweed. It is extremely elegant, producing willowy foliage and pink blooms. It will also attract beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden or meadow. Perennial.

Why is cold stratification important for milkweed?

Cold stratification is very important for the germination and growth of Milkweed. Without prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, your milkweed seed is unlikely to sprout. In most areas, when you plant seeds outside in fall, seeds can go through the cold stratification process naturally.

How long does it take for milkweed seeds to straify?

At-Home Cold Straification Summary: Put your Milkweed seed in a damp paper towel or some damp sand inside a zipper bag, and place in your fridge for 3 – 6 weeks (30 days). Label your seeds, and be sure to choose a low-traffic place inside your fridge where they won’t get damaged. Milkweed Seedlings.

What is the name of the milkweed that grows from seed?

Follow our instructions for starting milkweed from seed, including Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), and Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata). We have found these techniques best for good growing results.

How many seeds are in a milkweed pod?

Some milkweed pods can hold over 200 seeds inside!

Where can I find milkweed?

Common milkweed is probably the easiest to find. Just look for a dry area, like a ditch. Where I live, I see it along my local rail trail, and at the sunny edges of forests where I mountain bike. The pods are pretty easy to spot in a landscape, especially towards the fall as other plants die back. It’s hard to describe the shape of the pods, but they’re basically conical or horn-shaped (but the cone part is at both ends). The pods are usually pointing upwards.

What do red milkweed beetles eat?

Adult red milkweed beetles ( Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) are herbivores, feeding on the leaves, stems, and seed pods of milkweed plants.

When is milkweed ready to pick?

Milkweed pods are usually ready to pick in late summer, into early October and even November. And they don’t all ripen at once! To collect seeds, it’s easier if you get to the pods before they split. The seed pod will start to dry out, eventually splitting open on its own. While some pods may start to turn brown, a milkweed pod could still be green, but be ready to harvest.

Can you take milkweed pods from someone's property?

If you’re going to forage, it’s important that you don’t take milkweed pods from someone’s property without asking first. (Trust me, I’ve been tempted!) They may be saving those pods for their own garden. And as is common practice with any foraging, don’t take all the pods from one area. Leave some pods to naturally open and reseed themselves.

Is milkweed edible?

And apparently they’re tasty! Milkweed seed pods are edible. On her Backyard Forager website, Ellen Zachos, author of The Forager’s Pantry: Cooking with Wild Edibles shares some milkweed recipes, including one for deep fried milkweed pods.

Can you plant milkweed seeds in North America?

If you’d like to plant your own milkweed seeds, the best thing you can do is source the pods from the area in which you live. Check with your local environmental or monarch organizations to see if you can find any documentation and photos of milkweed that commonly grow in your region.

Monarch butterflies depend on milkweed for survival, and other pollinators also enjoy this fragrant native wildflower. Learn how to grow milkweed to support monarchs

While most pollinators can survive on a variety of plants, monarch caterpillars rely exclusively on milkweed. The plant provides food and habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Adult monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves, which provide shelter from sun, rain, and predators, as well as sustenance for hatchlings.

Growing Milkweed at a Glance

Is milkweed easy to grow? Given the right conditions, it’s not a tough plant to cultivate by any stretch. Native to North American prairies and wetlands, milkweed is a tough wildflower that doesn’t require a lot of pampering. Here are the basics to get you started:

Milkweed Characteristics

Milkweed belongs to the Asclepias genus of plants. Native to many parts of North America, more than 100 different native species, both perennial and tropical, can be found. Most have clusters of small pink or white flowers; tropical milkweed has yellow-orange flowers, and butterfly weed has bright orange flowers.

Recommended Milkweed Varieties

There are approximately 100 varieties of milkweed. Here are some common ones you might want to try:

Planting Milkweed Plants

If you have a sunny meadow, field, or garden, you might consider planting milkweed seeds to save the beautiful monarch butterfly. Due to urbanization, farming techniques, and herbicides, milkweed isn’t available in the quantities it once was.

Watering Milkweed

Until roots are well established, milkweed plants should receive a light daily watering, ideally in the morning.

Fertilizing Milkweed

Milkweed doesn’t need fertilizing. As a native plant, it tolerates poor soils. In fact, according to University of Michigan researchers, fertilizing tropical milkweed (especially with nitrogen) increases the levels of toxic cardenolides, which can stunt or kill monarch caterpillars.

How to grow milkweed in a garden?

Planting plugs of started milkweed is one way to grow milkweed in your garden.

How to store milkweed seeds?

Store them in an envelope at 40 degrees F or in the refrigerator to stratify until you are ready to plant in spring. Step 1: Harvest seed pod from milkweed plant. Pick pods as they turn brown, dry and mature. The brown dried pod in the upper left is just beginning to split open  —  perfect to harvest the seed.

Why stratify milkweed seeds?

Planting milkweed seeds. Milkweed seeds need to be stratified to help them germinate. Stratification is when a seed is moistened, chilled or frozen and thawed, breaking down germination inhibitors on the seed coat, such as waxes, hormones, oils or heavy coats.

How to plant a seed in the fall?

Fall seed planting. Plant seed in fall in a sunny location. Simply sprinkle seeds on well-tilled soil and pat them down, add a topdressing of soil, and water them in. Fall-sown seed will be naturally stratified outside.

How long does it take for a seed to germinate?

Sow 2 to 3 seeds in a pot filled with seed-starting mix, cover with ¼ inch of mix, water lightly and set under lights. Germination takes 7 to 10 days.

Can milkweed seeds be removed?

The seed cluster can then be removed carefully from the milkweed pod. When fully ripe and dried, the seeds will be easily separated from the floss.

Can you collect milkweed seeds?

It’s also easy to collect milkweed seed (be sure to ask property owners first) and start it yourself. See the gallery at the bottom of the article for our tips on how to collect seeds.

How to plant milkweed in a hole?

Start with healthy plants that have developed root systems. Prepare a planting hole that's twice as deep and twize as wide as the root ball of your milkweed plant. When planting multiple plants, you can amend the soil for each planting hole, or amend the whole bed before planting.

Why do you plant milkweed in a garden?

Plant milkweed in your meadow or garden to provide much-needed habitat and food for monarch butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects. Follow our guide to learn how to planting and growing healthy milkweed.

What is milkweed in butterfly gardens?

Shop Milkweed Plants. Butterfly Weed is the iconic, bright orange beauty that's a staple in every butterfly garden. This showy native wildflower is easy to grow, cold hardy, and does well in poor, dry soi... Butterfly Weed is the iconic, bright orange beauty that's a staple in every butterfly garden.

Why are milkweed leaves disappearing?

However, because of widespread pesticide use and the destruction of meadows across the country , wild-growing milkweeds are disappearing in places where these butterflies breed. This has led to a nearly 90% decline in monarch populations over the last 2 decades! Looking ahead, if we don't replenish these lost milkweeds, Monarch butterflies will vanish from the American landscape forever. Fortunately, you can plant milkweed to help support your local monarch butterfly and pollinator population!

What is a whorled milkweed?

Whorled Milkweed earns it's name from it's skinny, "whorled leaves". Small clusters of white flowers bloom a little later in the season providing color in your garden when most flowers have disappeared. Prepare to entertain many types of pollinators such as butterflies, and bees with this Asclepias. Monarchs will lay their eggs and the larvae (caterpillars) will enjoy a late season feast. When planting this perennial you can be proud to be supporting the Monarch population. (Asclepias verticillata)

What is milkweed?

Milkweed ( Asclepias) Milkweed are beautiful American wildflowers and delightful garden plants. Fragrant clusters of flowers are a magnet for butterflies and pollinators. Four species of native milkweed are found in most states: the Whorled Milkweed, Common Milkweed, and Swamp Milkweeds, and Butterfly Weed.

When does butterfly weed bloom?

Long-lasting clusters of small, flat-topped flowers are crowned with a yellow, sun-kissed "corona" and bloom from June through August.

How to plant milkweed seeds in the fall?

How To Plant Milkweed Seeds In Fall: Water. Once you’ve pressed the seeds into the soil, give the area a good watering to set the seeds. Because you’re planting in the fall, you won’t need to water after this until early spring when the seeds start to germinate. Butterfly Weed in bloom. And that’s that!

How much sun does milkweed need?

You can plant the seeds anywhere. Milkweed is extremely forgiving when it comes to soil and really only requires full sun (at least 6-8 per day).

What is milkweed good for?

Most milkweed share the same advantages in the garden: they thrive in all regions, tolerate almost any soil type, bloom in the early-mid summer, are deer resistant, and — of course — attract bees, butterflies, and more to the garden. So how do you decide which varieties to plant in your garden? It’s really personal preference. The most common varieties are orange Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and pink Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), but there are dozens of other varieties to choose from. Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) is native to the Midwest and boasts light green/white blooms that illuminate in the moonlight. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a red, showier variety.

Why is milkweed important to butterflies?

Milkweed, also known as Asclepias, is one of the best native wildflowers for attracting pollinators to the garden and is the sole host plant for the Monarch butterfly. Many gardeners realize the importance of adding milkweed to their gardens to help the disappearing Monarch population.

Why add milkweed to garden?

Many gardeners realize the importance of adding milkweed to their gardens to help the disappearing Monarch population. But Milkweed is also a decorative and showy addition to the garden, offering up tufts of long-lasting blooms in the summer months.

Why space seeds out by hand?

I spaced the seeds out by hand to make sure they weren't overcrowded come spring.

How to remove old growth from a garden?

Depending on the size of your area, you can either remove existing growth by hand and then rake the soil up before planting, or use a rototiller. Rototillers are often available for rent at your local hardware store for a minimal fee.

How to grow swamp milkweed from seed?

To propagate this plant by seeds, collect them in the fall after the brown pods have dried and started to split. Open each pod fully and let the seeds dry for one or two weeks in paper bags, being vigilant for signs of damage by weevil larvae.

How tall do milkweed leaves grow?

Like most milkweed species, they are clump-forming. Sturdy, upright clumps grow on stems four to five feet tall and two to three feet wide. Leaves grow in pairs, stiff, taper-pointed, and lance-shaped. Sometimes the edges of a leaf turn inward and upward.

What is swamp milkweed?

Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnate) is a member of the milkweed family . Their flowers are beloved by bees and butterflies. All milkweed species serve as critical hosts for monarch butterflies .

How tall is milkweed?

Common milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca) is a single-stemmed variety and looks a little bit different, bearing large pink clusters on especially thick stems that are four to five feet tall. Swamp milkweed is a lesser-known cousin, native to the sunny openings of swamps, marshes, bogs, fens and other moist areas of North America.

How long does it take for a seed to germinate?

Without stratification, seeds will likely still germinate. Soak seeds in hot water for 12 hours. Repeat twice to increase seed germination rate. Store in a cool place for up to three years. Sow four to eight weeks before the last frost in germination trays with cells, which are preferably two inches wide and four inches deep.

What color are milkweed flowers?

Blooms come in shades of soft mauve to pink to reddish-violet or occasionally white. Five nectar cups form a crown on five small petals, ideal for intricate pollination. By autumn, narrow pods reveal flat brown seeds attached to the white tufts characteristic of all milkweeds.

How to propagate a sage plant?

To propagate this plant by seeds, collect them in the fall after the brown pods have dried and started to split. Open each pod fully and let the seeds dry for one or two weeks in paper bags, being vigilant for signs of damage by weevil larvae.