Reviews (0)
Helpful Gardening Tips
Shipping
Shipping Information
We dig fresh our plants and ship immediately. We ship US Mail, Priority shipping. You will receive a tracking number once your plants ship. All plants will be fine in their packages for up to 3 days after receiving.
How We Protect Your Plants For Transit
We sell only bare root plants. We dip the roots in tera-sorb silicone gel to retain ample moisture for transit and surround with plastic. This is superior protection for plants in transit for up to 12 days.
Upon Receipt Of Your Plants
Open your plants and inspect the same day received. We offer 3 days to report any problems with your order. Bare root plants need to be planted within 2-3 days of receiving unless weather-related problems prohibit planting. Store in a cool place and keep roots moist and covered with plastic until they can be planted. Water for the first week daily after planting.
| Shipping Dates |
|---|
Description
Milkweed can grow to be 4 feet tall on a thin stem and produce green leaves that may get 8 inches.
Milkweed is most fragrant starting in late June and into August. More time will be spent containing the plant due to its root structure that grows beneath the surface so new pods can reach the top.
When stems and leaves are cut, a white sap oozes out. Flowers are commonly pink and purple but can vary by species.
Plant them 18 inches apart to avoid overcrowding and look for unwanted plants to prune. Removing seed pods will also slow their spread. Watering and fertilizing are not necessary. Only water if drought conditions are present. They prefer full sunlight and dry soil. They can even survive in damaged soil.
They are a significant food source for Monarch butterflies and some other species and host to all stages of the monarch's life cycle. This entices people to grow butterfly gardens at home. Caterpillars will be covering the plant to eat the leaves and then hang their chrysalises, mature, and hatch.
A close observer may even see tiny caterpillars hatch from small eggs stuck to the plant's stem. To make a butterfly garden, plant at least six plants in a small patch with a nearby water source for the butterflies. The water can be in anything from a bowl to a birdbath. Refrain from using pesticides not to kill the butterflies.
Each region in North America has a native species that grows best, yet all will thrive in each environment.
Milkweed plants are also one of monarchs' and butterflies' favorite dishes.
Milkweed - A Vital Butterfly Garden Plant
This perennial is an easy-to-grow plant that is ideal, some would say essential, for many butterfly gardens. Several characteristics that appeal to gardeners and butterfly watchers include its size, flowering time, sturdiness, and natural attraction for butterflies.
This plant is typically found in Zones 3 to 9. It enjoys full sun but can deal with shade here and there. This perennial usually appears in bunches of strong green stems that can grow up to 5 feet tall but typically 2 to 4 feet.
Thanks to the sturdy nature of these stems, there is no need to prop them up; they will stand on their own. The leaves are various shades of green, thick, and strong. They grow to about 6 to 8 inches long and 2 to 4 inches wide. It is ideal for planting to place these about 18 inches apart.
Additionally, this plant requires no fertilizers and does well in less than perfect soil. Flowers pods from the milkweed grow from the top of the plant and usually are found in small groups producing many flowers at once.
The flowers grow to about .75 inches and .4 inches wide. They are generally light to dark pink and let off a lovely sweet scent. Fruit pods also grow on the milkweed.
They are about 4 inches long and are shaped like a sphere, with little nubs growing on them. The pods start green and, as they mature, will turn brown. At this stage, milkweed can be used for flower arrangements.
Once they dry completely, they will split open. Many seeds can be taken from 1 pod. Finally, the milkweed is an ideal and vital plant for Monarch Butterflies. Not only do they eat leaves, but they also form their chrysalis and mature and hatch on the very same plant.
Milkweed is a Beneficial Conversation Perennial
This perennial is standard across the United States. Their flowers are distinctive in shape and colors. Dark green leaves on tall stiff stems highlight the orange, pink, white or yellow flowers of the Asclepias family. Their tall stems mix well with other tall garden flowers.
Their solid colors and decorative flowers make great ornamental cut flowers. The sap of this perennial is white and sticky.
It is a beneficial conservation plant. Milkweed attracts native bees and honeybees and several species of butterflies and hummingbirds. Colorful Monarch butterfly larvae feed on the leaves, each developing into a beautiful chrysalis. Watch them hatch into delicate monarch butterflies.
Milkweed is Beautiful Attractants to Honeybees, Butterflies, and Hummingbirds
These plants can spread to the ground by rhizomes which can quickly crowd out other plants. When one breaks the stem, it will let out a milky-like sap. This perennial would make a lovely addition to any landscape. The seeds will spread by the wind catching them and carrying them off.
This plant will attract butterflies to your area, and the monarch will usually lay their eggs on it. Once the caterpillars come out, they will feed on the leaves—no need to fertilize as they grow in the soil's poorest.
If you don't care for the seed to spread, you will want to remove the pods before they open or have seeds growing everywhere. This perennial has a juicy flavor that you can use for food or for wildlife animals use it.
Milkweed is For Sale at Tennessee Wholesale Nursery with Fast Shipping and Low Rates
