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No. 6$4.50 Common Milkweed
Illustration of the No. 6 Common Milkweed seed packet: a kraft envelope with the Missouri Native Series stamp label and a SOW DEC–FEB postmark on the front, and the growing directions and label details on the back.
The packet

No. 6 in the Missouri Native Series

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Missouri Native Series No. 6. Fragrant pink milkweed of roadsides and meadows. Monarch host. Spreads by roots, so give it room.

$4.50packet

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  • Missouri native seed, packed for 2027
  • Postmarked to sow December to February, outdoors (winter sowing)
  • Grow Guarantee: if it doesn't come up after you follow the guide, we'll send a replacement

This is the milkweed of Missouri’s roadsides and pastures. Its round, dusty-pink flower clusters are fragrant and draw insects of every kind, monarch caterpillars grow up on its broad leaves, and in fall its big pods split to send silk-tufted seeds across the field.

A fair warning, from one gardener to another: it spreads by underground roots as well as seed. Give it a meadow, a back corner or a big bed where it can roam, not a tidy border. In the right place, it’s one of the easiest and fastest milkweeds to establish.

It needs a winter chill to sprout. Each packet is hand-filled in St. Charles County, Missouri.

Good to know

  • Spreads by underground roots as well as seed. Give it room.
  • Toxic if eaten. Keep pets and livestock from grazing it.
  • Milky sap can irritate skin and eyes; wear gloves if you’re sensitive.

How to grow

  1. Give it room. Choose full sun in a meadow, a large bed or a back corner where spreading is welcome.
  2. Sow in late fall or winter. Between November and February, sow on fairly weed-free ground, no more than 1/4 inch deep. See our winter sowing guide.
  3. Or use the fridge. Chill the seed in damp sand for 30 days, then sow in early spring. Here’s the fridge method.
  4. Water while it’s young. Once its roots are down, it’s drought tolerant.
  5. Manage the spread. Pull unwanted shoots while they’re small, and cut the pods before they split if you don’t want it seeding around.

Good neighbors

Species from the series that grow well alongside Common Milkweed:

Questions

Will common milkweed spread in my yard?

Yes. It spreads by underground rhizomes and by seed, and Grow Native! says it’s not recommended for small, tidy gardens. For a compact bed, choose Butterfly Milkweed (No. 4) or Swamp Milkweed (No. 5) instead.

Is it the best milkweed for monarchs?

It’s one of their host plants and grows statewide in Missouri. Monarch caterpillars eat the leaves and store the plant’s toxins, which makes them distasteful to predators.

Is it safe around pets and livestock?

No milkweed should be eaten. The ASPCA lists milkweeds as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. USDA researchers report milkweed poisoning in sheep and cattle and occasionally horses, mostly when other forage is scarce or milkweed ends up in hay.

Can I stop it from seeding?

Yes. Grow Native! suggests removing the seed pods if self-seeding is a nuisance. Cut them in late summer before they split.

Sources for these facts