Extension

Asclepias, also known as milkweed, is a great addition to any garden, and 2025 has been declared the Year of the Asclepias. There are a variety of species from which to choose, all of which add value to any garden.

 

The National Garden Bureau website offers insightful information about asclepias. A genus of herbaceous, perennial flowering plants known as milkweed, it is a member of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. Butterfly, Showy, Swamp and Narrow-Leaved are just a few suggested milkweeds for Oklahoma.

 

Monarch butterflies rely exclusively on milkweed plants for food for their larvae. Without milkweeds, people couldn’t enjoy the beauty and splendor of Monarch butterflies. The Monarch butterfly population in the United States has dropped dramatically in the central part of the country. Adding milkweeds to the garden can help re-establish the population.

 

In addition to Monarch butterflies, milkweed plants attract many different pollinators, including bees, beetles, flies, moths and wasps. When choosing a site to plant, remember that milkweeds aren’t tolerant of shade conditions. While full sun is preferred, partial shade can work. 

 

Milkweeds are tolerant of drought conditions, which happens often in an Oklahoma summer, but they need well-drained soil. While gardeners may need to fertilize other plants in the garden, milkweeds typically don’t need it. A layer of compost can provide all the needed nutrients, plus it can help inhibit weed growth.

 

As for maintenance, deadhead spent blooms during the growing season to encourage additional growth. When the plants die back for the winter, gardeners can remove the above-ground part of the plants, but it isn’t necessary. If gardeners opt to remove the above-ground part, make sure to mark where the plants are growing. Milkweeds are slow to emerge in the spring, so it’s important to know where they are in the landscape.

 

Here are a few interesting facts about milkweeds:

• Milkweed floss is used as a hypoallergenic filling for pillows and comforters.
• Milkweed seed oil is featured in some body care products.
• During World War II, more than 2 million pounds of milkweed seed floss were used to fill life preservers and other flotation equipment.
• Native Americans used stem fibers to make string, rope and cloth. Some tribes used Common Milkweed for medicinal purposes.

 

For more information about milkweed, check out “The Kerr Center Guide to Native Milkweeds of Oklahoma.”