Green Milkweed

Description:  Green milkweed is an upright perennial boasting interesting clusters, about the size of a baseball, packed with tiny flowers, each adorned with 5 upright pale green petals that cup upward twice as high as their 5 purple hoods. Blooming from late spring to midsummer, the flowers are borne on sturdy stems clad with long, narrow, pale green leaves, often folded lengthwise. They are a great source of nectar for butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other beneficial insects. They give way to seed pods that contain seeds attached to fine silk. When the pod splits open, the silk catches the breeze and flies away, carrying the seed. A great choice for the flower garden and for natural settings. Milkweed plants are critical to monarch butterflies survival, whose population in North America has plummeted by 90% in the last 20 years. By planting milkweed in your own garden, you can help reverse the fortune of these beautiful insects! For more information see: www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/asclepias_viridis.shtml

Care and Growing Tips:  Water newly planted green milkweed regularly, about once a week, until they become established. Once established, it is drought-tolerant and does not require regular watering except during prolonged dry periods. Green milkweed generally does not require regular fertilization, but it can benefit from a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer in early spring before new growth begins. Mulch around the base of the plants with organic mulch, such as leaves or bark, to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature.

This milkweed can be pruned in fall or early spring to remove dead or damaged growth and to control the size of the plant. Cutting back in the fall can also help prevent the spread of diseases. Alternatively, green milkweed can also be left standing in the fall to provide a habitat for overwintering insects or cut back to the ground and covered with a layer of mulch to protect the roots from freezing.