How to Grow Asclepias syriaca Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Common Silkweed

Common silkweed
Asclepias syriaca photograph by peganum.

Asclepias syriaca Growing and Care Guide

Scientific Name: Asclepias syriaca
Common Name: Common milkweed, Butterfly flower, Silkweed, Silky swallow-wort, Virginia silkweed, Common silkweed
Growing Zone: USA: 3 to 8
Life Cycle / Plant Type: Perennial

Plant Details

Plant Height (Inches): 36 to 60
Plant Spread (Inches): 12 to 36
Time of Bloom: Summer
Flower Details: Pink
Leaf Foliage: Green
Fruit:
Growth Form: Upright / erect

Ideal Growing Conditions

Best Light Conditions: Full sunlight
Rate of Growth: Average pace
Suitable Soil Types: Acidic, Clay, Loamy, Neutral, Sandy, Well drained
Soil Moisture: Moist

Caring Conditions

Care:
Level of Maintenance: Low
Propagation: Seeds
How to Prune: Not usually required
Pests:
Diseases:

Further Information

Can Attract: Butterflies
Tolerant of: Deer, Drought, Erosion, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Best Garden Use:
Family: Apocynaceae.
Closely Related Species: Adenium, Allamanda, Amsonia, Asclepias, Nerium, Pachypodium, Wrightia, Vinca.
Miscellaneous: North American native, Invasive, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies, Fragrant flowers
Genus Detail: Asclepias
Further Reading and References: Here and Ohio State University Weed Guide

I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Asclepias syriaca. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Catharanthus and Oxypetalum plants.