COMMON MILKWEED

Common milkweed is a main source of food for Monarch caterpillars.

Common Milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca) is the tallest of the three milkweeds described in those pages. It can reach a height of 2 meters (6 ft.) and it DOES spread from a network of rhizomes in addition to the seeds from the pods (see photos below).

The pink clusters of flowers appear ALONG the top of the stems, not just on top. The opposite leaves are large and round at the tip. The veins show a parallel pattern. This milkweed also produces latex when cut, hence the common name of the plant.


The seedpods are plump and covered with soft spikes. The silk from this milkweed has been exploited commercially, as insulation for winter coats for example.

COLLECTING THE SEEDS: Unless you want your milkweed to spread from seed all over the area around the plants, you need to deadhead the pods when they are forming.

Or, if you want to collect the seeds, the time for harvesting the pods is when they start to split open. Once the pods are fully open, it doesn’t take long before the wind quickly disperses all those beautiful little silky parachutes.

Common milkweed spring shoots - © Denise Motard
Common milkweed spring shoots
Common milkweed young plants - © Denise Motard
Common milkweed young plants
Common milkweed plant,  Photo by Derek Ramsay – 2007
Common milkweed plant,
Photo by Derek Ramsay – 2007
Common milkweed flowers and broad leaves, Photo by James Steakley
Common milkweed flowers
and broad leaves, phot0
by James Steakley
Common milkweed seedpod,  photo by H.Zell, Wikimedia.
Common milkweed seedpod,

photo by H.Zell, Wikimedia.
Common milkweed seeds, photo by Brocken Inaglory
Common milkweed seeds,
photo by Brocken Inaglory
Common milkweed root system, photo by Michelle Clay
Common milkweed root
system, photo by
Michelle Clay
Common milkweed rhizomes with stem buds, photo by Michelle Clay
Common milkweed rhizomes
with stem buds,
photo by Michelle Clay