Monarch Host Plants

The Common Asclepias, also known as Butterfly Weed or Common Milkweed, is the only plant that Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on! This variety provides an abundant food source for Monarchs, but have been declining in the recent years due in part to suburban development and the increased efficiency of herbicides. The Common Asclepias spreads readily by seed and underground rhizomes and its taproot can withstand drought. This Butterfly Weed is one of the easiest and fastest to establish of the Milkweeds. Enjoy watching beautiful Monarchs visit on a daily basis!

Asclepias incarnata ‘Ice Ballet’, often called White Swamp Milkweed, is a selected form of the native Swamp Milkweed long found along wetlands, marsh edges, and moist prairies across North America, where it has served for generations as an essential host plant for monarch caterpillars. This cultivar stands out for its showy clusters of pure white, vanilla-scented flowers that bloom in midsummer, contrasting beautifully with its upright stems and narrow, deep-green leaves.

The Butterfly Asclepias is sun-loving, easy to grow and blooms brilliant, vibrant orange colored blooms that will attract may pollinators to the garden. This stunning variety and can reach 2-3' feet tall. Sow in early January for first year blooms.

The Showy Asclepias is just like its name, a beautiful showy plant that is an excellent nectar sources for butterflies and hummingbirds! This Butterfly Weed variety is similar to Common Milkweed, but its pinkish-purple flowers have longer petals that taper more and are covered with fine hairs. The Showy Asclepias will attract butterflies and hummingbirds, especially Queen and Monarch butterflies. This plant is aggressive and should be thinned every year.

The Whorled Asclepias is a beautiful brilliant white flower that will grow anywhere and bees, butterflies and hummingbirds love it! This Butterfly Weed variety is native to the Midwest but can grow almost anywhere is the USA and provides nectar to many pollinators. This easy to grow, attractive perennial blooms mid to late summer and will spread easily without thinning.

Narrowleaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) is a western North American perennial with narrow leaves and rounded clusters of pale pink flowers. It thrives in full sun and dry, well-drained soil and is well suited to native meadows and pollinator plantings. The foliage serves as a monarch caterpillar host, while the flowers provide nectar for bees and butterflies. Mature plants typically reach about 3 to 4 feet tall.

Swan Plant Milkweed (Gomphocarpus fruticosus) produces creamy white flowers followed by large, inflated ornamental seed pods. Upright plants bring distinctive texture to sunny beds and cutting gardens while also serving as a host plant for monarch caterpillars where the species is grown. This tender perennial performs best in full sun with evenly moist, well-drained soil. In colder regions, grow it as an annual or overwinter protected plants indoors.

Red Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) bears clusters of bright red flowers with golden-yellow crowns from midsummer until frost. This vigorous tropical milkweed often blooms in its first year from seed, giving butterflies, bees and hummingbirds a quick source of nectar. Its leaves also serve as a food source for monarch caterpillars. Plants reach about 3 feet tall and thrive in full sun with moist, well-drained soil. Grow it as a tender perennial in Zones 8-11 or as a colorful warm-season annual where winters freeze.

Hirtella Asclepias, more commonly known as Hirtella Milkweed or sometimes grouped under Asclepias hirtella and Tall Green Milkweed, is a native prairie species historically found across the central United States in moist to moderately dry meadows, savannas, and open grasslands. It is recognized for its tall, slender stems topped with rounded clusters of pale green to yellow-green flowers that attract a wide variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and monarch caterpillars.

Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) produces scarlet-red and orange flower clusters that attract butterflies and other pollinators. The upright plants grow vigorously in warm conditions and often bloom in their first year from seed. It performs best in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil and can be grown as a warm-season annual where winters freeze. Its colorful blooms make it a strong choice for containers and pollinator gardens.

Asclepias physocarpa, commonly known as Swan Plant Milkweed, Balloon Plant, or Hairy Balls Milkweed, is a distinctive African species that has become popular in warm-climate gardens and butterfly habitats for over a century due to its unusual, inflated seed pods and its value as a host plant for monarch caterpillars. The plant features upright, branching stems lined with narrow, lance-shaped leaves and topped with clusters of small, white to pale pink flowers that attract a range of pollinators.

Our Milkweed Mix brings together three North American native perennials: Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Hardy in USDA Zones 3-9, this blend adds pink, mauve-pink and bright orange summer flowers to butterfly gardens, sunny borders and meadow plantings. All three species provide host foliage for monarch caterpillars and nectar for visiting pollinators. Swamp Milkweed: Rose-pink flower clusters on upright plants, typically 3-5 feet tall; prefers consistently moist soil. Butterfly Weed (tuberosa): Bright orange blooms on compact plants, typically 1-3 feet tall; prefers well-drained soil and tolerates drier conditions once established. Common Milkweed: Fragrant, rounded mauve-pink flower clusters, typically 2-5 feet tall; spreads by underground rhizomes and needs room to grow.

Prairie Milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii), also known as Sullivant’s Milkweed, is a native Midwestern perennial with broad blue-green foliage, rosy pink flower clusters, and exceptional value for monarch habitat. Upright plants bring a polished look to prairie gardens, pollinator borders, and naturalized plantings while supplying nectar to bees and butterflies.

Western Sand Milkweed (Asclepias arenaria), also known as Sandhill Milkweed or Dwarf Milkweed, is a hardy, drought-tolerant species native to the sandy plains and prairies of the central and southwestern United States, where it has long supported pollinators and played a role in Indigenous plant knowledge. This milkweed forms upright stems with soft, velvety, blue-green leaves and produces clusters of pale greenish-white flowers that are highly attractive to monarchs, bees, and other beneficial insects.

Tropical Milkweed Mix blends Silky Deep Red, Silky Gold and the classic red-and-yellow Tropical Milkweed, all forms of Asclepias curassavica. This colorful assortment produces clusters of deep red, scarlet and golden-yellow flowers above slender green foliage for sunny borders, large containers and cutting gardens. Silky Deep Red: Rich red flowers accented with golden-yellow crowns. Silky Gold: Solid golden-yellow flower clusters that brighten the planting. Tropical Milkweed: Classic scarlet to orange-red flowers with contrasting yellow crowns. Plants generally reach 2-4 feet tall and flower from summer into fall, often blooming in their first year from seed. Grow in full sun with moist, well-drained soil. A tender perennial in frost-free climates, this mix is commonly grown as a warm-season annual in colder regions. It is not a winter-hardy Zones 3-9 perennial mix.

Silky Deep Red Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) offers velvety deep red flower clusters accented with bright yellow hoods from late spring into fall. Its broad leaves and rich color make it one of the most striking tropical milkweeds for borders, containers and cutting gardens. Nectar-rich blooms attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bees, and the foliage feeds monarch caterpillars. Plants reach 3-4 feet tall and flower about 90-100 days from seed. Grow it as a tender perennial in Zones 8-11 or as a warm-season annual where winters freeze.

Silky Gold Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) produces clusters of pure golden-yellow flowers that glow in sunny borders from summer into fall. A favorite with cut-flower growers, it sends up long stems that hold well in bouquets, while its nectar-rich blooms draw butterflies and bees. The foliage also feeds monarch caterpillars. Plants grow 3-4 feet tall and often bloom in their first year from seed. Grow it as a tender perennial in Zones 8-11 or as a warm-season annual where winters freeze.

Asclepias viridis, commonly known as Spider Milkweed or Green Milkweed, is a native North American species with a long ecological history tied to grasslands and prairies of the central and southern United States. Its distinctive greenish-white flowers arranged in rounded clusters give it a spider-like appearance, attracting a wide array of pollinators, especially butterflies, and serving as an essential host plant for monarch caterpillars.