Milkweed Plants * Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) * Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) * Asclepias curassavica (Tropical Milkweed) *

milkweed plants, Asclepias curassavica

ButterflyBushes.com
(Rose Franklin's Perennials)

Milkweed Plants

Our new 'Plant Index' page lists all the plants we will be offering for the 2010 shipping season.

During the shipping season (May thru October), our Facebook fans will receive notification of special promotions being offered on our web site. They will also be periodically posted on which plants are especially nice at that particular time (making these plants a better buy at that particular time).

   Milkweed plants (Asclepias) are the host plants for Monarch butterflies...but milkweed is also a highly sought nectar source for many other butterfly species! Aside from attracting Monarch butterflies for egg-laying, milkweed entices swallowtails, painted ladies, American ladies, red admirals, fritillaries, and hairstreaks for nectaring.
   Milkweed also draws hummingbirds and hummingbird clearwing moths to the garden for nectar.
On this page we offer Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriacea), and Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) when we have it available for shipping. Tropical Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Asclepias curassavica, Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet', Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow', plants
          What's a hummingbird clearwing moth? You'll find the answer on our FAQ page.

We ship milkweed plants from May through October.
We are able to ship plants to the following states within the USA: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. State and Federal regulations prohibit us from shipping to other destinations. If you do not live in one of the states we are permitted to ship to, please do not order. We will not ship your order and will charge you a $3.00 service charge to cancel your order and return your payment.

We Ship Plants from May through October:

Milkweed Plants are shipped in 3" to 4" pots or nursery liners.
We ship USPS Priority Mail.

Asclepias curassavica, tropical milkweed plants

Tropical Milkweed (also known as Bloodflower and Mexican Milkweed)
(Asclepias curassavica)
A South American native, Tropical Milkweed grows 30"-36" high and produces clusters of bright yellow or yellow-orange bi-colored flowers (sorry, no choice of flower color). Highly utilized by Monarch butterflies for egg-laying. Used as a nectar source by many other butterfly species and also by hummingbirds. Plant in full sun and treat as an annual. Save the seeds this fall and start them yourself next year (this milkweed is easy to grow from seed). Shipped in 3" pots. Deer resistant.

May be Sold Out for 2010. Please check back after Sept. 6

Swamp Milkweed, pink flowering
(Asclepias incarnata)

Clusters of small pink or white flowers on plants which grow 30"-40" high. Swamp Milkweed usually grows in moist areas (but it does not require a moist location in the garden). Usually blooming June thru July, this plant serves as a nectar source for several butterfly species and as a host plant for Monarchs. Sorry, no choice of flower color. Deer resistant.
Perennial, zones 3-8. $4.50 each

Swamp Milkweed, white flowering
(Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet')

Clusters of small white flowers on plants which grow 30"-40" high. Usually blooms late June through July. 'Ice Ballet' Swamp Milkweed is a choice nectar plant for numerous butterfly species (including the red admiral shown here). It is also a top choice for monarch egg-laying!
Perennial in zones 3-8. $4.50 each

Asclepias tuberosa, butterfly weed, milkweed plants Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Clusters of bright orange flowers adorn this plant from late June through July. Usually growing 18"-24" high, Butterfly Weed attracts numerous butterfly species for nectaring and it is sometimes utilized as a host plant for Monarch butterflies. Known also as Pleurisy Root, Butterfly Weed must be planted in a soil that provides excellent drainage, especially in winter. Deer resistant.

Perennial, zones 3-8. Sorry, Sold Out for 2010.

Whorled Milkweed
(Asclepias verticillata)

Whorled Milkweed grows native in much of the eastern half of the USA. It grows 18"-24" high, has fine textured, needle-like leaves, and produces clusters of white flowers June-July.
New for 2010 and sure to be a top seller.

Perennial, zones 5 - 9. Sorry, Sold Out for 2010.

Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, milkweed plants

Common Milkweed
(Asclepias syriaca)
A native to much of the eastern USA, Common Milkweed generally grows to about 48" high and blooms late June through July. Our plants are small this year but they should reach mature size next summer. Common Milkweed is utilized as a nectar source by hummingbirds and also by many butterfly species. Also used as a host plant by Monarch butterflies. Shipped in 3" pots. Deer resistant.
Our Common Milkweed plants are dropping their leaves in preparation for winter dormancy. While they don't look good this time of year, they are still fine for fall planting.
Perennial, zones 3-9. $5.00 each

In 1975 a scientist named Frederick Urquhart discovered that Monarch butterflies overwinter in the Oyamel fir forests in central Mexico. Most of the Monarch colony resides for the winter at Sierra Chincua or El Rosario. The first four days of February, 2010, a violent winter storm caused disastrous flooding and landslides in Sierra Chincua and El Rosario. Well over 50% of the overwintering Monarch population was killed as a result of the storm. Scientists predict that the number of Monarch returning to the northern range of their breeding grounds (the US and Canada) this summer will be fewer than at anytime since the overwintering colonies were first discovered in Mexico in 1975. And because of this, the expectation is that the number of Monarchs returning to Mexico in the fall of 2010 will also be dramatically reduced. If any of you have in the past contemplated the idea of planting Milkweed (the host plant for Monarch butterflies) to help Monarchs in their quest for survival, this might be the year to act. Monarchs are going to need all the help they can get this summer.

Milkweed is essential for the existence of Monarch butterflies.
A Monarch butterfly is pictured at the top of this page. Adult Monarchs (and many other butterfly species) love nectar-rich milkweed as a food source, but there is a more important reason for the Monarch's close attachment to milkweed. Milkweed is the only plant material that Monarch caterpillars can eat. Remove Monarch caterpillars from milkweed and they will starve; or they will eat other plant material, sicken, and then die. The scientific name for milkweed is Asclepias (pronounced as-KLEE-pea-us). Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) is well known to most northeasterners. It grows along roadsides, in fields, and in open meadows. Producing sweet smelling mauve-pink flowers late June through July, common milkweed usually matures at about 48" high. Some people assume common milkweed to be the only milkweed species which exists. Actually, over 100 species of Asclepias grow in the USA, with over 200 different species growing worldwide.
Common milkweed is not the only Asclepias species which can be utilized as a food source for the monarch caterpillar. In reality, any Asclepias serves the purpose, although some species lure more egg-laying female monarchs than others.
Among the Asclepias species highly utilized by female monarchs for egg-laying are Asclepias curassavica (tropical milkweed, an annual) and Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed). Both are now offered on this page.

Want to learn more about milkweed plants?
If so, please read our Introduction To Milkweed.

And if you would like to see pictures (arranged sequentially) that show the life stages of a monarch butterfly, check out our article on
Monarch Metamorphosis.

Two ways to order: (1) Utilize our on-line shopping cart or (2) print our online order form, fill it out, and then mail it to us, along with your check or money order. Some of the features of our online shopping cart fail to work correctly with some Internet Service Providers. If you have problems using our shopping cart, please print our order form, fill it out, and then mail it to us. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Quantities are limited on some of our nursery stock. Plants will be reserved to fill orders in the sequence in which orders are received. Please order at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment. Please do not order plants which are not currently posted with a picture, plant description, and price.

Rose Franklin's Perennials
107 Butterfly Lane Spring Mills, PA 16875

(814) 422-8968 Email: RoseFranklin@aol.com

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