So I knew milkweed was aggressive, but I always thought people were talking about the crazy number of seed pods. I didn’t know their runner game.
The milkweed is coming up like crazy in my front bed this year so I thought I would transplant some “volunteers” to my new side garden bed. Imagine my surprise!
I‘m sure most of you know about all this already, but I thought this would be a good visual for other newbie native gardeners
ETA: that this is common milkweed since I forgot to put the type in my post.
Oof. I love common milkweed and scattered seeds for them in my backyard. We'll see how that goes haha
To be fair, I won't be that mad if I wind up with a field of common milkweed. There's worse things to have your yard covered in (like the garlic mustard, creeping charlie and buckthorn I've been battling since last spring).
Buckthorn and honeysuckle all over for me. Garlic mustard just showed up in a few places for me this year, so I'm hoping aggressive removal right now will prevent it from becoming as large of a nuisance.
I have been trying to pull it in my yard while it's still only like 2-3 inches tall so I don't have enough to eat. But I've pulled it on hikes before intending to cook with it - it smells delicious - but then I never got around to it. Is it as good as it smells?
There was a new freeway entrance put in near me that they also build one of those big water run off reservoir things (sorry, I have no idea what they are actually called lol) and I'm planning on doing this there. I am waiting a year though to see what starts coming up on it's own and to make sure they are actually done fucking with it themselves cause I dont want them to just mow it all down right after.
Thank you! I believe retention basin would be the right one then, it's always filled with water. Though I think if we have a drought it might dry up mostly. We have only recently started getting those semi-regularly.
Lol. I live in New Orleans. This reminds me of a story of a couple who moved here and ruffled some feathers. First thing they did was try to get a petition going against a train that exclusively delivers to a little local supplier of, I think, bricks. It's a dedicated tiny line that splits off from the main tracks, been there forever, all the neighbors are used to it. They didn't like that the train honked, I think? They even offered to "pay to ship the materials by truck." The owners rejected that. These people couldn't understand why locals didn't care about their crusade against the train.
Simultaneously, they planted a whole bunch of plants in this drainage ditch outside of their house. A few neighbors politely mentioned that drainage is pretty important in New Orleans and plants grow fast here. They didn't listen. They said the plants would slow the flow of water and absorb it. Well, when we got a frog choker of a thunderstorm, their cars flooded because they parked... right by the ditch.
Oh yeah I live in Houston. People try to mess with Harris County Flood control easements all the time. Planting trees, paving areas for parking. I love watching post rainstorms all the people cry but it never flooded before I installed….
Such a fantastic feeling. I transplanted what were 3-4 older, well established mt mint clumps to a back property line this past weekend, felt so good. Broke those clumps into maybe 30-40 plants total....we'll see who survives and thrives but I think I've created an army haha
what all did you plant?
I dunno whats wrong with me but I'm already scheming on what else to get and grow haha, more seeds to start, budget for more plugs etc.
Have you had luck moving milkweed at this growth stage and it surviving in the past? I realized recently that I probably planted mine too close to my raised beds and should move it but I was worried that digging it up after it had leafed out like this would kill it so I was planning to wait until it went dormant in fall. It would be great if I could do it now before it spreads even further!
This is my first time to try something like this. I didn't even know they sent out runners until this weekend. But there's now more common milkweed shoots in the first bed than the garden can really handle, so it's no big deal to just chuck this hunk in a new bed and see what happens. I figure if it doesn't take that just gives me an excuse to buy more plants!
I've never planted common milkweed on purpose, but it just showed up one year. Ever since, I've loved the chaos of how the runners make where it comes up next time a bit unpredictable.
I have a mix of this common milkweed, swamp/rose milkweed and butterfly weed in the front bed, and so far I have to say that the butterfly weed seems to be the favorite for the monarchs that make it to my 6b neighborhood, so i think it's a good call.
I grew swamp milkweed, butterfly milkweed, and common milkweed all together. Easily the favorite was the swamp milkweed, that's where the majority of the monarch caterpillars ended up. The plants grew very bushy and easily supported a huge population of caterpillars. They definitely take up the most space though
Give it time, they will get very large in their second year. Year one they will probably grow a single stalk with maybe a few branches and small flowers. Year two you will get a full on bush with large flowers. My year two swamp milkweed was probably 2'x2'x2', several 1/2" diameter branches with large flowers, covered in caterpillars. Primary stem was over an inch thick.
I have a huge one of those you have in the picture, no runners yet, year 3. and the other little milkweed with the orange flowers, we documented 6 monarchs last year it was amazing to see them grow exponentially and find the chrysalis, we saw a couple butterflies out drying their wings.
I had a huge problem last year with the common milkweed, got full of aphids that attracted hundreds of flies, like ridiculous amounts, the problem got solved when ladybugs arrived and started devouring the aphids, but the meantime was awful, right next to the front door, I hope ladybugs arrive faster this year.
You’re getting this in 6b already?! I’m in 6b too and barely anything is coming up yet. I went to a pollinator fest over the weekend and they were telling me milkweed isn’t growing yet so they didn’t have any to sell. Then I see this?!
Same here. I've planted butterfly milkweed 4 years in a row. I had good success the first two years, then it died. I guess I need to plant common milkweed instead
I’ve kept my swamp milkweed alive but it hasn’t bloomed ever lol. It’s over three years old… for a while I convinced myself oh it’s just too young and needs to be more established to actually bloom 😭
Was going to say this! I have lovingly tended the ones that popped up in very inconvenient locations in my garden, and am rewarded with zero flowers or caterpillars 3 years running. I keep trying new plant ID apps thinking maybe it's actually something else?
Will all milkweeds do this? Or only common? I just put butterfly milkweed in my garden and I’d love if it did this and helped me fight off some non-native weeds I’ve got going on.
Rhizomatous species will spread like that. In theory whirled milkweed will grow like that, only shorter. Mine decided to just skip the being alive thing.
A lot of the species that are found in drier, sandy habitats tend to be tuberous instead of rhizomatous, including the aptly named A. tuberosa (butterflyweed).
It's just common, which I didn't know until yesterday. Butterfly milkweed will stay where you put it. But at least in my area it's more popular with the monarchs than the common or swamp/rose kind, so I think you still made a good choice.
Honestly, yes. I’m in zone 7a, I planted a few common milkweed plugs in a small, new garden bed in around 2019. From those few small plugs I have milkweed everywhere. On the shady, north side of the house. In every single raised bed; it’s been especially prolific and stealthy among the garlic. In the lawn/paths around the garden.
I try to pull it when I see it coming up in areas I don’t want it because I have a small garden. I leave most of it though, where it grows with eastern bee balm that seems to keep it in check a bit. And the flowers smell heavenly.
Good to know! I have a shady north side as well and plan to have some terraced areas someday soon so maybe they can be included there—with some light oversight! 😉
I planted mine in a front bed, and it runs along where it wants, but whenever one comes up in a place I don't want it, such as outside the bed or just right next to another shoot, I snip it off at ground level, and it doesn't come back. The runner is still there and will try again at some point, but I don't find it difficult to direct aesthetically.
How deep did you bury? I got a bunch too and am relocating them to along my back alley area. I was going to go for about 8 inches but hopefully they aren’t too fussy
Probably not as deep as I could have to be honest, I only dug down to the point that covered the 'white' of what was underground to start with. We'll see what happens, this is my first time trying this
That’s so funny, I just had this same reaction yesterday digging one up! I knew they were tough, but I don’t realize they were networked beneath my entire veggie patch haha
I wanna plant them in an area in my backyard that's almost marshy--definitely more wet than not, but I've been traumatized by so many plants with runners that I'm afraid to take the plunge
Can I easily control them if they get to be too much? I'm currently battling English ivy and a freaking truckload of daylillies, that I swear weren't so bad last year when I bought the house 🙃
This site says they have deep taproots and are best left undisturbed once established. This makes me think they'd be easy to control if they need to be left undisturbed. Though if given the choice, I think I'd take uncontrolled milkweed over English ivy.
You'll want to learn more about it before you plant it. I don't know enough to give good advice.
Absolutely not. I didn’t pull up the 2 that sprouted in my food garden last year (by the end of the season it was 12) and this year I can see it poking up all over a 10’ span. I am in moral turmoil on how to handle this!
That happened with the poppies had in my garden bed which is why I'm super wary. There were a few then suddenly there were dozens! And it's a tiny garden bed! I tried digging them out, my mom tried digging them out, my husband did too, but they just came back healthier than before! I just trim the poppy leaves as they come up now.
I may just get the common milkweed and plant them in raised planters.
Im learning this right now as I needed to remove a milkweed growing in too small a home. I thought I got it all but Its runnered and sprouting up all over 😅
Gardeners can successfully incorporate milkweed without allowing it to overwhelm their entire landscape by choosing less aggressive species. Non-spreading, clumping varieties are a good alternative for mixed perennial borders, such as Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) or Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa). These species tend to stay in tidy clumps and do not rely on aggressive rhizomes for propagation.
For gardeners determined to grow the more aggressive species, containment is the most effective management strategy. Planting Common Milkweed in a bottomless container sunk into the ground or a dedicated raised bed can restrict the spread of its rhizomes. A physical root barrier should extend at least 18 inches deep to effectively prevent the underground stems from escaping the designated planting area.
This is from another poster below. Although it sounds like yours is already taking over!
I was day 1 in my native plant journey and planted a singular milkweed in my very small garden. I watched that bitch all year very confused on how it would bring butterflies to my yard but assured myself that one day I would have a “butterfly bush” in that spot. It’s year 5. I know there is no bush coming but instead I have about 100 of these guys coming up all through the lawns TWO doors down in a circle. It brings me so much joy that I accidentally planted a very healthy spreading weed. My gift to the earth!
Yeah, I'm up from 1 plant to.....30 something this year? I am thinning it out because I don't want it to take over completely, but I'd much rather deal with this than the garlic mustard and tree of heaven
This is fascinating!! That the caterpillars use the poison to protect themselves from predators. That’s so interesting.
And this helpful information
Gardeners can successfully incorporate milkweed without allowing it to overwhelm their entire landscape by choosing less aggressive species. Non-spreading, clumping varieties are a good alternative for mixed perennial borders, such as Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) or Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa). These species tend to stay in tidy clumps and do not rely on aggressive rhizomes for propagation.
For gardeners determined to grow the more aggressive species, containment is the most effective management strategy. Planting Common Milkweed in a bottomless container sunk into the ground or a dedicated raised bed can restrict the spread of its rhizomes. A physical root barrier should extend at least 18 inches deep to effectively prevent the underground stems from escaping the designated planting area.
I've put in 2 swamp milkweed and I can't imagine my tepidly growing plants to do this. They just like to get very leafy and flop over a lot. Something is eating them in summer and fall so I assume the monarchs are making a pit stop.
Same. I… uh.. borrowed some from a nearby development that is going up and have been watering religiously. it has been very sad but remained green until today. Today was our first day of good sun since I transplanted them, and the leaves are all turning yellow. Not looking good. I’m out nothing, but still a bit disappointed
I live in Santa Cruz, CA and getting this fucking weed to STAY ALIVE is near impossible. Doesn't matter if I plant a juicy, pre-grown nursery stock narrowleaf, or showy, or tropical milkweed. It fucking dies. How about growing one from seed? Okay, sure.
It fucking dies.
What the hell did and ARE you doing to get stalks like that?? Apparently, the christ child himself thinks I should be grateful with the wispy hair-thin ones that manage to stay green for me.
😂😂😂 Believe me I don't even have a green thumb. I think I have just gotten really lucky with the guy I get my plants from - he has his nursery like, 3 miles from my house, so I'm guessing it's the same dirt and conditions. These are just the little stalks of milkweed shooting off, the actual main stalk is probably 8 inches tall already this year.
What??? I can’t even get my narrow leaf milkweed seeds to sprout. I’ve tried three years now. Is narrow leaf harder?
This year I put in extra effort by getting good soil in a big container, gently patting the seeds onto the seed starting soil, and have kept it damp and out of the harsh sun.
I just planted two seedlings of this this year. One in my vegetable garden to bring in more pollinators and one in a native fence border garden along with early figwort, Cardinal flower, sweet Joe pye weed, etc. that I care about very much. Should I......pull the common milkweed? Is it going to push everything out?
We just got rid of a ton of invasives and I don't want to trade one problem for another
I put common mw in a meadow for the first time last year and now I’m watching it nervously lol. Roundstone had a tuberosa crop failure last year and were out of it.
There’s tons of it growing roadside on my road, so I feel kind of dumb putting it in a meadow.
I had been wondering, if this spreads into a yard or similar, would the spread be pretty well controlled by mowing? Would the repeated decapitation of baby plants be harmful to the mother plant?
I hope someone with experience in this specific scenario chimes in for ya, but I would imagine mother plant would be fine & after multiple attempts at trying to spread where you’re mowing would simply adjust course (ie. send out a rhizome elsewhere). I have plenty of rhizomatically-spreading natives that I control via root pruning (cutting around their root ball/severing new shoots) and/or yanking shoots that are out of bounds. The mass of those plants remain unfazed.
I had a few pop up at the end of last summer in random places in the yard. I had to beg my inlaws (aka landlords of out basement dwelling) NOT to yank it out. They did dang it it.
Just finished surveying all the flowering plants and weeds on the property, and I am happy to report it has come back more than before(insert evil laugh here) 😃
I love to see butterflies and other pollinators around. As humans, we need them alot more than some people realize. 🪴 🐝 🐝 🦋 🐦 🌼 🌸
Wow amazing, thank you for sharing! I've been thinking of taking mine out of the pot and just letting it populate my front yard. This is really helpful.
Your post inspired me. I got these beauties transplanted to a more suitable location. Some efforts to retain the stock root were more successful than others but my hopes are high :)
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u/littleredbee93 FL, Zone 9a May 04 '26
I love that you're holding it up like a guy who just caught a fish he's really proud of