Green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora)

 

Milkweed is the essential host plant for monarch caterpillars and a nectar source for many pollinators. All of our milkweeds are hardy perennials that return year after year once established.

 

plant profile

Green Milkweed is a low-growing species with subtle pale-green flowers that blend beautifully into prairie or meadow plantings and is valuable for monarchs and pollinators.

 

Growing conditions

• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide
• Light: full sun to part sun
• Soil: dry to medium, well-drained
• Water: moderate needs, somewhat drought-tolerant
• Bloom time: mid-summer, starting the second year
• Lifecycle: perennial

 

planting instructions

• Plant in spring or fall when temperatures are mild
• Dig a hole slightly wider than the root ball and set the crown level with the soil surface
• Space plants 18–24 inches apart
• Water well to establish; drought tolerant afterward

 

seasonal growth pattern

• Year 1: Root development; minimal top growth.
• Year 2: Begins flowering and spreading.
• Year 3 and beyond: Maintains compact clumps with reliable blooms.
• Fall & Winter: Seed pods develop; leave stems for insect habitat.

 

care

Prefers open, sunny ground with well drained soil. Does not adapt well to containers. Works well in naturalized plantings with other native grasses and wildflowers.

 

notes

• Does not bloom the first year while roots develop
• A subtle but important milkweed for pollinator diversity