Tips & Information about Milkweed

Get Started

How To Grow Native Whorled Milkweed In The Garden

By Mary Ellen Ellis

Whorled milkweed is beloved by monarch butterflies, but it attracts other pollinators, too. Click to read more.

A monarch butterfly on a milkweed flower

Best California Milkweed Varieties For Monarch Butterflies

By Teo Spengler

Click here to learn what the best milkweed varieties for California are.

Many pink and white clusters of milkweed flowers blooming outdoors

Is Milkweed Plant Poisonous To Pets, People And Livestock?

By Susan Albert, Freelance Garden Writer

Butterflies love and depend on milkweed, but the plant is toxic to other animlas. Learn about how to use it responsibly.

Growing Showy Milkweed From Seed Or Cuttings

By Tonya Barnett, (Author of FRESHCUTKY)

Milkweed is a valuable addition to gardens as a magnet for butterflies and other pollinators. Plant it from seed or cuttings, but watch out for the sap.

Milkweed Cutting Propagation: Learn About Rooting Milkweed Cuttings

By Laura Miller

You may already grow milkweed if you have a butterfly garden. Starting milkweed from cuttings can increase the number of plants you have. For more information, click here.

How To Grow Balloon Plants: Care Of Balloon Plants In The Garden

By Mary H. Dyer, Credentialed Garden Writer

Like all members of the milkweed family, the balloon plant is one of the best plants for attracting monarch butterflies. Learn more about adding the balloon plant milkweed species to your garden in this article. Click here for additional information.

Milkweed Pruning Guide: Do I Deadhead Milkweed Plants

By Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist

Growing the plants will attract and feed these beautiful butterflies. But you may be asking, “should I prune milkweed.” Milkweed pruning isn’t really necessary, but deadheading milkweed can enhance appearance and encourage further flowering. Click here for more info.

No Flowers On Milkweed – Reasons For Milkweed Not Blooming

By Darcy Larum, Landscape Designer

The sweet nectar of milkweed blooms attracts a wide variety of butterflies, bees, moths and hummingbirds. However, your dream of a garden filled with beautiful winged creatures can quickly become crushed if your milkweed won’t flower. Learn why this happens here.

Planting Potted Milkweeds: How To Grow Milkweed In Containers

By Becca Badgett, Co-author of How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden

Milkweed is among the primary plants to draw the Monarch butterfly to our yards. Since milkweed is sometimes considered an unwanted specimen in the landscape and can be invasive, we might consider growing milkweed in a pot. Find suitable milkweed plants for this here.

White-Pink Flowered Swamp Milkweed Plants

Swamp Milkweed Info – Tips For Growing Swamp Milkweed Plants

By Liz Baessler

A cousin of the better-known common milkweed, swamp milkweed is an attractive flowering perennial that is native to the swamps and other wet areas of North America. Click this article for tips on growing swamp milkweed in your landscape.

Milkweed Plant Varieties – Growing Different Milkweed Plants

By Darcy Larum, Landscape Designer

Because of agricultural herbicides and other human interference with nature, milkweed plants are not as widely available for monarchs these days. Click here to learn more about different types of milkweed you can grow to help future generations of these butterflies.

Three milkweed seed pods that have broken open and are beginning to spread seeds

Winterizing Milkweed: Caring For Milkweed Plants In Winter

By Darcy Larum, Landscape Designer

Many wild milkweed plants, often considered weeds, will grow happily wherever they sprout without any "help" from gardeners. Though many milkweed plants need only the help of Mother Nature, this article will cover winter care of milkweed and whether it's necessary.