Common, Milkweed

Common milkweed (Asciepias syriaca) is an easy-to-grow milkweed that some might describe as weedy for how readily it spreads. This monarch butterfly attractor grows well in any part of the garden but is best grown on your garden's perimeter or even in neglected areas. It is perfect for butterfly or meadow gardens. But Common Milkweed is far more than just a "useful" plant. It's lovely, with bouquets of deep pink to purple blooms that make excellent cuts for the vase. It grows upright 3 to 4 feet high and about 2 to 2½ feet wide, with good branching.

Because milkweed is a food source for monarch caterpillars, you may find some nibbled foliage. You should. That means the caterpillars are fed and ready for the chrysalis stage. And if you look very closely under the stems, you may see semi-transparent chrysalises containing beautiful folded-up butterflies, just waiting to break. It's an amazing sight and one that every gardener should experience.