Narrowleaf Milkweed Seed Packet

"Narrowleaf Milkweed is native to California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. I’ve seen it growing wild all over the place! I’ve seen it along the coast in Santa Barbra, along highway 5 from Bakersfield all the way to Seattle and outside the entrance of Yosemite at over 6,000 feet. It is incredibly hardy and depending on location the blooms can be cream, white, mauve, or pink. As a kid I first saw it growing at the Diablo Hills golf course in Walnut Creek, California. I was running around looking for Monarch cats instead of paying attention to the game. I guess you could say I’ve always had “the bug”!" — Bobby Gendron

The Facts:

• Latin name: Asclepias fascicularis
• Quantity of seeds per packet: 50
• Monarch butterfly host plant
• White and pink flowers
• Hardy perennial
• 24" - 48" tall
• Blooms from May until October
• Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 - 11

Growing Instructions: Start Narrowleaf Milkweed seeds outdoors in the spring after the danger of nighttime freezing has past. 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. Keep the soil evenly moist until the seeds germinate in 10 - 20 days. 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. To get a head start, seeds can be planted indoors in the late winter. Transplant outdoors after the danger of nighttime freezing has past.

Narrowleaf Milkweed Range Map:

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

Narrowleaf Milkweed is native to the following states: California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington