Tropical Milkweed Seed Packet

"Tropical Milkweed is one of the most ornamental milkweeds. I have had the privilege in seeing it grow wild in Mexico, Costa Rica and the island of Tortola. I’ll never forget going for a little hike while my friends were drinking refreshments on Tortola and upon our return my wife exclaimed “Bobby found some milkweed!” My friends just rolled their eyes, no doubt because I’m always talking about these plants!  It is one of the quickest milkweeds to flower from seed and the flowers are a vibrant coral and yellow." — Bobby Gendron

The Facts:

• Latin name: Asclepias curassavica
• Quantity of seeds per packet: 40
• Monarch butterfly host plant
• Attractive red and yellow flowers
• Native to Mexico and South America
• Frost sensitive perennial
• 24" - 36" tall
• Blooms from May until first frost
• Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 - 11
• Summer annual in USDA zones 3 - 9

Growing Instructions: Start Tropical 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.