Whorled Milkweed Seed Packet

Whorled Milkweed is a dainty plant with thin leaves. Its flowers are small umbels of white flowers. It found growing wild in many places in the central and eastern US. I first encountered this species on a milkweed adventure in Kansas.

The Facts:

• Latin name: Asclepias verticillata
• Quantity of seeds per packet: 50
• Monarch butterfly host plant
• Petite white flowers
• Hardy perennial
• 12" - 24" tall
• Blooms from July until September
• Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 - 11

Growing Instructions: Start Whorled Milkweed seeds outdoors in late November. Pick a location with full sun and prepare soil for good drainage, if needed. Plant seeds 1/8" deep and 18” apart, using 3 seeds per hole. Water once, and then allow the winter rain and/or snow to provide moisture until the spring. The seeds will germinate 10 - 20 days after the danger of nighttime freezing has past. Once the seedlings reach 1", thin out so you have individual plants spaced 18” apart. Water regularly allowing the soil to go nearly dry between each watering. Fertilize monthly in the summer with a general purpose fertilizer. If you prefer to plant the seeds outdoors in the spring, read our detailed instructions on cold moist stratification.

Whorled Milkweed Range Map:

Map ©: Kartesz, J.T. 2013. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP).

Whorled Milkweed is native to the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming