Rose Milkweed / Asclepias incarnata
Rose Milkweed isn't just our favorite milkweed in the garden, it's adaptable to many soil conditions, gorgeous, and it's also - along with Common Milkweed - a favorite host plant of Monarch butterflies! It's among the best of the native wildflowers for pollinators, drawing in a stunningly diverse group of species with flowers that smell like candy. If your garden gets enough sunlight and has enough soil moisture, this plant is a must have.
Seed Planting/Germination Key
Storage: Store in a cool, dry, dark place prior to planting.
Rule of thumb for depth of planting: The maximum depth should generally be half the width of the seed, but many wildflower seeds will germinate well if sown on the surface.
Easy: Generally germinates within 5 to 30 days with no need for cold pretreatment. Keep potting mix or soil consistently moist during the germination period.
Cold(30): Germination rates are higher if cold pretreatment applied either by placing the seed within moist paper towel or sand within a refrigerator for 30 days or outside in late winter.
Cold(60): Germination rates are higher if cold pretreatment applied either by placing the seed within moist paper towel or sand within a refrigerator for 60 days or outside in mid-winter.
Cold(90); Outdoors: Germination rates are higher if cold pretreatment applied either by placing the seed within moist paper towel or sand within a refrigerator for 90 days or outside in late fall or early winter. The best route is to plant these outdoors in either a pot or directly on the soil.
Approximate Seeds Per Packet: 100
Germination: Cold(30)
Lifecycle: Perennial
Sunlight: Full, Part
Soil Moisture: Moist, Medium
Height: 4
Bloom Period: June-August
Bloom Color: Pink
USDA Zones: 3-9
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies
Larval Host For: Monarch Butterfly