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Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Most familiar monarch host. Spreads aggressively by rhizomes.

Family

Apocynaceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

2–3 ft

Spacing

0.75–1 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral, alkaline

Bloom

June, July, August

Bloom colors

white, purple

Wildlife value

butterflies, larval host, monarch host

Landscape uses

border, erosion control, naturalizing

Native states

AR, CT, DC, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV