How to Cold Stratify and Grow Milkweed Seeds

3/8/2020

83 Comments

Starting milkweed seeds indoors is a great way to ensure you will have milkweed plants ready for them when they arrive.

Cold stratification is just a fancy way of saying cold exposure and is known to increase germination rates by waking the seeds up from their dormancy cycle.

Most Milkweed varieties need 30 days of cold exposure to break their dormancy cycle and this can easily be done in your own home. In nature, this keeps Milkweed plants from germinating at times when conditions are not favorable for growth.

Asclepias incarnata stratifying in a cold/moist chamber at the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. Photo by Rebecca Chandler.

Materials Needed

1 Quart Ziploc Bag
Milkweed Seeds
Paper Towels
Sharpie Pen

Step 1: Wet a paper towel and lay on a flat surface.

Wet a paper towel and gently wring it out so it is damp but not dripping with water. Too much water may cause the seeds to mold inside the bag.

Step 2: Sprinkle 10-20 milkweed seeds on the paper towel.

I may be best to sprinkle the seeds onto half of the paper towel so when you fold it, the seeds will not overlap.

Step 3: Fold the paper towel into quarters.

Step 4: Place the paper towel into the bag, seal, and label.

Label the bag with the date and type of seed. I like to include both the common and scientific name but this is up to you. You may even want to set a reminder on your phone or calendar so you can remember to take them out in 30 days.

Step 5: Place in the refrigerator for 30-60 days.

Store the mixture in the refrigerator (33–38°F) for the recommended time on your seed packet. For Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Prairie Moon Nursery recommends 30 days of cold stratification.

Make sure to put your seeds somewhere safe in the fridge where they will not be disturbed. I like to put the bag into a tupperware container to ensure they don't get smashed or damaged. Check on the seeds after a few weeks and if you notice the seeds starting to sprout in the bag, plant immediately!

Recommended Cold Stratification Periods According to Milkweed Species

Common Milkweed   (Asclepias syriaca) 30 days
Swamp Milkweed   (Asclepias incarnata) 30 days
Whorled Milkweed   (Asclepias verticillata) 30 days
Prairie Milkweed    (Asclepias sullivantii) 30 days
Western Sand Milkweed (Asclepias arenaria) 60 days
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) 30 days
Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) 30 days

*Note that warm weather species such as Tropical Milkweed do not need a cold stratification period.

How to Plant Milkweed Seeds Indoors

Step 1: Place seeds in trays

After 30-60 days, it’s time to plant your Milkweed seeds. You can plant them in seed trays, peat pots, small pots or any other container that allows for water drainage. Dampen your soil with a spray bottle full of water and place 1-2 seeds into each 2" container. Sow seeds lightly on the top of the soil. You may press in gently but they need light to germinate so please don’t bury them!

Step 2: Water seeds gently

Be gentle when watering new seedlings because they are very delicate. It is recommended to water from the bottom up by adding a half-inch of water to the bottom of a tray and placing the pots inside this tray. Some people prefer to use a spray mister to water their seedlings.

You can check the soil moisture simply by touching it to see if it feels damp. Take care not to overwater your seeds which can lead to fungus growth. It is helpful to have a fan nearby to provide airflow and ventilation.

Step 4: Your seeds need light!

Make sure your milkweed has enough light to grow whether that be under an artificial grow light or near a sunny window. If your seedlings start to become "leggy" expose them to more light. The sturdier the seedling, the better!

Step 5: Plant outdoors

Milkweed seeds can be sown outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and the seedlings have grown around 1-5 inches high. To make the transition from indoors to outdoors less stressful, start by putting the seedlings outdoors for a few hours a day for up to a week before planting them outdoors.

Resources

The American Meadows Blog: How to Germinate and Grow Milkweed Seed.
https://www.americanmeadows.com/blog/2015/06/11/how-to-germinate-and-grow-milkweed-seed/

Prairie Moon Nursery: How to Germinate Native Seeds.
https://www.prairiemoon.com/blog/how-to-germinate-native-seeds

Henrikson, Bob. Gardening with Prairie Plants. Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.
https://plantnebraska.org/plants/bloom-box/resources-for-bloom-box-gardeners.html

83 Comments

Stephen W. Cooper

12/13/2018 11:47:54 pm

Most of my Milkweed has been Common Milkweed. Put it in refrigerator dry, and did nothing else. Will try wet next time. Does it make any difference what temp it is held at ? currently have some in freezer.
Let one Monarch go two days ago. Still have 4 in Chryslis. Will make 2018
number around 30 Monarch's. Plan to tag them in 2019. Currently starting Tropical milkweed for next spring and plant as many stalks as I can find room for. Best milkweed because of flowers and it can sustain a large number of cats. Like your website. Cooper

Rebecca

2/10/2019 12:09:10 pm

Hi Stephen,
Thank you for your questions! I have had the most luck with the moist/cold method of stratification rather than the dry/cold method. The moisture helps to soften the seed coat so that the sprout can emerge. Freezer may work but it might also make the seed less viable over the period of 30-60 days. The ideal temperature is between 33–38°F. Best of luck!

LadyVan

5/13/2021 06:32:10 pm

If normally the seeds fall and overwinter in zones 3-5 where it was 25 degrees below 0 last winter, how is it possible they need to be kept 33-38 degrees to for just a month or two germinate? There are no Midwest winters with those weather conditions.

Nancy LaPlace

8/17/2021 03:48:37 pm

I heard from a Park Ranger that you should only plant milkweed indigenous to your area. And he specifically said that people are planting tropical milkweed because it's prettier, but it confuses the butterflies. They think they are much farther south and they stay in the area too long and freeze to death. Just passing on information, not judging. I never would have known and totally would've planted the more attractive plant!!

Susan Coman

1/11/2022 03:47:10 pm

I plant about 6 or 7 varieties of milkweed and have found that monarchs in the fall are drawn more to the Tropical Milkweed over everything else. I've heard people say that if the tropical variety is left to stand that more OE can accumulate on it and it can be detrimental to Monarchs. In Oklahoma it dies back to the ground and I just pull up the old plants after I harvest the viable seed pods. This past year I tried to feed Butterfly Weed to my cats and they didn't want it so I went back to the Tropical. The flowers look like they hold up better and so does the foliage so perhaps that's why Monarchs prefer it. I'm not really sure. I haven't had any problem with Monarchs being confused and not knowing when to migrate -- I doubt that has any effect on them. I think the main thing is to provide a variety of milkweed so the butterflies have want they want and need during all times of the year.

Cody

3/15/2024 01:58:18 pm

It only applies to those that live where the milkweed grows into the fall. You don’t want monarchs stopping to bread when they should be going south. I was told to cut my tropical milkweed down in the fall to keep the monarchs from stopping. I forgot to last year and we did see a few monarchs that didn’t hatch or getting moving south fast enough. I won’t forget this fall.

Dan Swanson

2/16/2019 02:30:07 pm

I have stratified with the refrigerator method about 1,000 seeds, but I collected so many last fall I still have another 10,000 (i don't know the real number, but it's a big bag). Can I just put the seeds out on the snow in February?

Rebecca link

2/16/2019 03:08:16 pm

Dan,
WOW, that is great!! You can absolutely just stratify them the "all natural" way if you have the space. Another option is to distribute them to folks in your community or set up a 'seed swap' event. You can also donate viable seeds to
Save Our Monarchs Foundation
P.O. Box #390135
Minneapolis, MN 55439
and we will distribute them in our School Pollinator Program.
Thank you for helping the Monarchs!

Dick Seng

10/27/2019 12:21:11 pm

Recently I wrote to someone regarding extra Common Milkweed seed pods I have. What I do is to save the seeds in the fall just as the pods begin to open. There are many more than I can use so if anybody wants some, let me know directly or on CHAT. I do not charge for doing this and all I need is the mailing address of those that would like some.

Deja

3/27/2020 03:37:55 pm

If you still have extra I would love some. Have a patch of yard I’d like to make a butterfly garden.

Thanks!

Helga Cotton link

8/31/2020 01:19:34 pm

I love to plant more Milkweed of different types. Do you still have some seeds ? Would it be possible to send me some? I really would appreciate it so much.
Helga Cotton
185 Yellowwood Drive
Sharpsburg, Ga 30277

Lora Ost

2/27/2021 10:01:04 am

Would you send me some seed please and thank you:
Lora Ost
32 Parsonage Rd,
McHenry, MS. 39561

Lyn Dominguez

6/1/2020 06:52:58 am

Hi all! If any one has any extra Milkweeds seeds could you please send to me, I’d appreciate it!
Lyn Dominguez
10418 Carmen Lane
Royal Palm Beach FL 33411

Colleen

5/30/2022 10:35:20 am

It’s really important that you plant native milkweed to your specific area. So in Florida it would not be a good idea to plant milkweed that is native to Wisconsin or something like that. It’s best to do a search to see what milkweed is native to your specific area.

Alan Wolcott

3/1/2021 07:22:02 pm

Do you have any leftover seeds for a Scout project? We are in Silver Spring

Alan Ostner

2/18/2019 08:06:24 pm

Great website and great tips on cold stratification for asclepias!! I am giving stratification my first try this week. After I cold stratify can I just plant them outside after average last killing frost? Or will the birds get them? Are indoor pots safer to sprout them then transplant? I have 8 weeks until avg last killing frost here in NW Arkansas. Thanks !!

4/4/2020 10:31:41 am

Hi Alan,
Thanks for reading and best of luck with your milkweed! Yes, you would want to plant them outdoors after the last average frost in your area. However, I do prefer to start them indoors (after stratifying them) and then transplant them outdoors when they have reached a few inches tall. That way, I know that I am giving them every advantage of surviving and so they are larger so they can feed more caterpillars once the monarchs arrive. However, both of these methods will work. If you would like to read more on growing milkweed indoors check out my other blog: https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/blog/5-steps-to-planting-milkweed-seeds

Eli

4/15/2019 05:08:47 am

Does putting dry seeds in the freezer for a week or so help at all?

Is it recommended to sow germinated seed directly into my garden?

Generally what is the lowest cost milkweed seed per pound? I want to plant an acre or two

David Fileccia

3/13/2020 05:00:20 pm

Hi. If you plan to plant an acre or two you should get ahold of Dick Seng. The gentleman 2 posts above yours. He says that anyone that wants free seed pods full of seeds to get ahold of him and he will mail some to you.

4/4/2020 10:35:39 am

Hi Eli,
Putting dry milkweed seeds (also called dry, cold stratification) improves the germination rate minimally. I did an experiment where I tried dry, cold and wet, cold stratification methods on the same types of milkweed seeds and the wet, cold seeds did significantly better than the dry, cold ones.
You can either plant them outside after your last average frost in your area or start them indoors under a grow light (my preferred method). You can read more here: https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/blog/5-steps-to-planting-milkweed-seeds
We sell milkweed seeds in bulk here: https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/store/c12/Bulk_Seeds.html

Mischa Davison

4/8/2024 07:07:30 am

Hello I'd like to purchase milkweed seeds in bulk. Thanks!

Jenny A

11/14/2019 02:17:27 pm

I grew up in MN with the monarchs, but now live in desert AZ. Do monarchs fly thru here on their migration? I have never seen any. (Surprised to see a robin once🙂.) Someone sent me some wild milkweed seeds and I will try growing them. I will try the tropical ones if they don't survive here. Wish me luck.

1/31/2021 08:53:04 am

Hi Jenny,
You can view the Migration Maps at Journeynorth.org to see if monarchs fly through your area on their migration. You can also find out what species of milkweed grow in your area at https://www.growmilkweedplants.com/map.html. Best of luck!

12/28/2019 04:26:11 pm

Update, saw a beat-up monarch in my garden over the fall. Poor thing. Bought some showy tropical milkweed seeds to plant in the spring. Also native varieties. Will be prepared next time one passes thru.

4/4/2020 10:37:05 am

Hi Jenny,
Thanks for your questions! You can track the monarch migrations and see real-time maps of their migration at https://maps.journeynorth.org/maps Thanks!

David

2/9/2020 03:09:42 pm

Send info

Ambrose

3/20/2020 02:11:09 pm

I put a bunch of swamp milkweed seeds in a ziplock bag without a wet towel and stuck in my fridge probably 3-4 months ago. Obviously, not what I should have done, according to what I'm reading now. Do you think they are salvageable?

3/20/2020 03:49:49 pm

I did the same as you, and then planted them and mine are sprouting nicely.

Leo Silvestri link

3/23/2020 04:13:55 pm

They will be fine. As long as they've been in the fridge for 6-8 weeks, we've noticed that by keeping them in a zip lock bag with some wet sand for a week or two before planting them they'll germinate even faster.

Dani

4/15/2020 09:24:28 am

I have had both showy milkweed and tuberosa seeds in fridge for just about a month, but they havent done anything save for some of the tuberosa seeds splitting apart..are they supposed to sprout before planting? If not, is it ok to just put them in pots and under grow light before last frost then plant in containers outside? (I'm in an apartment so cant put in ground.)

4/15/2020 02:37:00 pm

Go ahead and start them indoor under the light. keep in mind that the best way to grow milkweed with no effort is by fall-winter sowing:
www.savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/Grow-Milkweed-Plants-For-Pennies.pdf

4/18/2020 10:19:32 am

Hi Dani,
No, the seeds are not necessarily supposed to sprout in the fridge. If they have started to sprout, that is okay but you will want to put them into soil immediately. If it isn't warm enough yet in your region, you can start them indoors in a sunny window or under a grow light.
The purpose of the cold stratification period is just to awaken them and let them know that Spring is near. In nature, they would go through a natural stratification period (winter) and know that spring has arrived when it starts to warm up. They would not start sprouting when it is still cold because it would lessen their chances of survival. I hope that helped! Best of luck.

4/24/2020 12:44:42 am

Hello, I just pulled out a bag of milkweed pods (uncertain of the type) my son and I collected in Bethesda, MD last fall. It's now the end of April. Is it too late to cold stratify and plant the seeds? Also, we have a lot of seeds. Can we sow directly into the soil now and/or plant in seed trays without cold stratifying? This is our first time collecting milkweed pods to plant-- next year we'll know to cold stratify. Thank you!

4/24/2020 05:06:41 am

Go ahead and cold stratify them, you're still in time to plant this year.
As for next year you should consider fall-winter sowing for less effort.
This link will show you how:
www.savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/Grow-Milkweed-Plants-For-Pennies.pdf

Kris Barratt

5/21/2020 09:16:13 am

Sure fire way to sprout seeds indoors is to clip off the point of each seed with a nail clipper( yes, tedious).
Place the seeds in a container and cover with 1” non- chlorinated water. Put in a warm spot ( I kept mine in microwave with door ajar/ light on -about 80 degrees). Change the water ever 12 hours for 7 days. They will sprout!
I planted in small peat pots and kept moist and warm in a sunny window with lights on them during the day. When 2-3” high, hardened them off over a week 1hr first day working up to 7 hrs in a week.

Alan

6/6/2020 10:18:18 am

I am in Delaware and it’s early June. I just got seeds but if a stratify them it will be July. Is it too hot in July to plant the seeds? Should I just wait a couple months? This is new to me.
Thanks!

6/6/2020 05:54:10 pm

Try this Alan and good luck! :-)
http://savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/Growing-Milkweed-Seeds-Year-Around.pdf

Debra Stinchcomb

7/1/2020 09:46:50 am

I would like to contact Dick Seng to get seed pods. How do I find him? I am very much interested in planting as much milkweed as possible in my area. Thank you kindly

Charles Cromer

8/3/2020 12:32:11 pm

Yes, I too would like to get the contact information for Dick Seng

8/31/2020 05:53:09 pm

I've received a milkweed seeds request from Helga Cotton but I don't see her post here. In any case I do have Common, swamp and tropical milkweed seeds all year around cold stratified and ready to be planted anytime. ( Tropical doesn't need stratification )
All I need is a SASE ( Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) and I will gladly send them anywhere in North America.
More details are on this link:
http://savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/Free-Milkweed-Seeds-For-All.pdf

Always make sure they are native to your area:
https://www.monarchmilkweedhabitat.com/

Sharon Clark

10/7/2020 06:57:20 pm

About how long does it take for sprouted seeds to be ready to transition to the garden?

10/8/2020 09:11:55 am

I usually wait for the plant to be at least 5-6 inches tall. ( Providing the weather is warm)

Rebecca Chandler

1/31/2021 08:55:44 am

It takes at least a month for them to be large enough to be transplanted. I also recommend a "hardening off" period (gradually transitioning them outdoors) before you put them in the ground. Best of luck!

Diana Wyble

10/14/2020 08:34:24 am

Do I use the same stratification & planting for Asclepias Purpurascens seed as the other MW?

1/31/2021 08:56:39 am

Yes, you can use the same methods with Asclepias purpurascens .Thanks!

Agnieszka Hobson

11/3/2020 10:29:09 am

I live in San Antonio, TX and just received butterfly weed seeds from a friend. Is it ok to plant them right now and put in pots so the plants can be portable during cold weather days?

1/31/2021 08:59:42 am

Yes,I'm not sure I understand your question. You can cold stratify them naturally by putting them in soil and leaving them outdoors during the winter. I have found the the cold/wet stratification period works very well because in the winter, they are usually under a blanket of snow that keeps their seed coats moist.
If you mean, can you start them indoors and grow them throughout the winter, that is also an option. However, because milkweed has a very long taproot, sometimes it makes it difficult to transplant them once they have gotten to a large size. Hope this helps! Best of luck.

Stacy Brown

2/15/2021 03:59:09 pm

Hello, any tips on planting outside when they've sprouted?

2/15/2021 05:00:25 pm

Hi Stacy,
More info on your question are available here:
http://www.savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/Grow-Milkweed-Plants-For-Pennies.pdf

3/1/2021 07:19:03 pm

A Scout has designed a 20x20 milk weed garden for ‘special needs adults’. She wants to sow them directly Into the prepared ground but needs some seed to stratify them with haste

If there is any seeds that are looking for a home in Maryland please reply

3/6/2021 02:32:24 pm

If you want them by mail follow this page for more details:
http://savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/Free-Milkweed-Seeds-For-All-2021.pdf
See which native plants grow better in your area:
https://www.monarchmilkweedhabitat.com

Michelle Lowery

3/6/2021 12:39:12 pm

Hi! Thank you for this article. What kind of soil should I use to start the seeds indoors, please? Is regular potting soil OK?

Leo Silvestri

3/9/2021 04:12:02 pm

Always use good top soil to germinate milkweed seeds. :-)

4/5/2021 05:50:04 pm

Thank you, Leo!

Jerome Posatko link

3/9/2021 06:25:03 am

This is my first attempt at growing milkweeds. I bought several varieties of milkweed seeds and have the seeds in the fridge following your stratification directions. I have seeds left over. Can I hold these over for next year? Can I put them in the freezer like I do with veggie seeds? Thanks.

3/9/2021 04:09:59 pm

I've had mine in wet sand in the fridge ( not freezer) for 4 years and they germinate like crazy when plant it. :-)
http://savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/Fall-Spring-Milkweed-Sowing.pdf

Pete Lindstrom

3/30/2022 07:53:51 am

I started growing milkweed 4 seasons ago. I keep all my seeds, several types, that I don’t plant in the freezer. Most of my seeds germinate. I put some seeds in clear plastic containers and put out side and I start some indoors both wet & dry cold stratification. Best to sow seeds in fall, Mother Nature been doing it that way for a long time.

Thomas Sullivan

4/5/2021 04:44:22 pm

It's the start of April in Massachusetts and I have just collected a ton of common milkweed seeds that overwintered in fields. Should I just put them in the ground where I want them or germinate them first then put them in the ground. I assume the winter has already stratified them. Thanks.

4/5/2021 06:10:39 pm

You can do it both ways, most of us prefer the germination in outdoor small pots and transplant when they are 5-6" high.

Kristin M Williams

7/31/2021 09:20:39 am

I hope this thread is still active.

I decided to start about a dozen asclepias tuberosa in small pots, outside. This was in July in zone 6, Pennsylvania. Because I made no attempt to stratify them, I assumed that few if any would sprout, and I would let the cold winter temperatures stratify them naturally. I figured they would sprout in the spring.

Instead, most of them have sprouted vigorously and I now have numerous, healthy seedlings. The larger ones have multiple sets of leaves, now, and the smallest ones are just emerging in late July. I don't know how quickly these little plants will grow, but I'm worried that they won't be large enough by the time cold weather comes to survive the winter.

Which is the better plan forward? Should I overwinter them indoors, in a bright window with grow lights, let them grow much larger, and place them outside in the spring? Or, should I leave them outside, to overwinter as tiny plants, with reasonable expectation that most will survive?

Or, another way to ask the question, is, how large does an asclepius tuberosa seedling have to be to survive a northern winter? My intuition is telling me that the plant would need to be large enough to have stored up enough energy in its root to make it through a long winter. I'm concerned that these young seedlings will be too small to have a chance of survival. But, will leaving them indoors all winter mess up their life cycle?

7/31/2021 05:56:03 pm

Kristin, You did good with your tuberosa, my advice would be to put them into one or two gallon pots right away for more growth during August. By late fall cut the plants to the ground and keep them into the pots, in order to survive our freezing-thaw cycle of our winter you need to keep them repaired from the elements always outdoor in the cold like a shed, covered patio etc... ( make sure you water them once in awhile) Next spring summer you'll have some nice two years old plants. They are late coming up in the spring, to speed up the process bring some plants in the garage by early March. :-)
This is what I do with all my potted perennials and always come back. This was our last year backyard:https://www.photo-pick.com/online/fe0Z5BzL.link

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Jennifer in N.H. link

9/11/2021 09:10:05 am

I purchased Common Milkweed seeds Native to N.H. Very excited to do more to help the Monarch butterfly’s. The instructions are not clear enough. States full sun, Stratify for a minimum of 4 weeks in refrigerator, which I understand how to do with dampened paper towels, what I’m unclear on is when to plant the seeds? A month from now after stratifying? In the spring once frost danger is over? Or when do I plant sprouted seedlings in New Hampshire?

9/11/2021 06:11:47 pm

Jennifer, I do have a page that has all that info:
http://savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/milkweed-general-info.pdf

Michael link

10/26/2021 09:45:24 pm

Great Article! Thank you for sharing this very informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Liquid Carbon for Agriculture link

11/13/2021 12:03:05 am

Definitely need a lot of patience for this one since you need to wait for at least 30 days but it's all worth it. I have to agree when you said that you put them in a container for it to avoid being damaged. Great tip! Thank you for sharing!

12/10/2021 01:37:49 am

Great Article! Thank you for sharing this is very informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

12/14/2021 09:02:55 am

Great Article! Thank you for sharing this is very informative post, and looking forward to the latest one. If you are looking for hydroponic supplies here in Australia just visit thegrowshop dot com dot au.

Paul Pierlott link

3/5/2022 09:59:47 am

Thank you so much for this clear description.
I’m eager to plant them once frost is clear.

Sharon k. Ettinger

4/17/2022 06:02:55 am

I love to sit and watch them. They are absolutely beautiful.

Joanne Schultz link

5/31/2022 02:51:48 am

I live in the very NE corner of Georgia and would love some Common Milkweed seeds from anyone who has extra from last fall. I did bring many seed pods back from Western PA and they were full of seeds. Gave many to neighbors and for mine, I simply lightly sowed them into the ground in January (as they would in nature). Many came up!!! They were just baby seedlings, about 1/2 high, then they were gone!!! Not sure if bugs, caterpillars or rabbits got to them. I protected them from rabbits by covering with a hard yard cloth (1/4" screen) , but one day, they were no longer. I will try to plant in pots indoors first and then transplant after last frost. So, if Dick Sent (one of the commenters) has any extras, I'd love to have some. Thanks.

Cheryl Trapp

8/6/2022 09:59:02 pm

I just started making my garden a place for hummingbirds and our monarchs. I live in the Santa Cruz Mountains and am aware of the need for milkweed for our butterflys. I purchased a mature milkweed and now working on the seeds and how to grow my own plants. It's August.Any suggestions are welcomed regarding the seeds. They are from Home Depot Asclepias Fascicularius. It looks as though I should put the seeds in the fridge for 30 days? The weather here has been in the low 80s If you have a suggestion for this Newby please feel free to comment. I thought that Monarchs were mainly here in California and I'm glad to here they live in many places and have many folks working to help them. Thanks to all who help them.

Jared Davis

9/5/2022 12:48:52 pm

So totally new to this and had some seeds given to me. What do you do with them during the months leading up to putting them in the fridge?

11/7/2022 06:43:35 am

I’ve been cultivating a butterfly garden for a few years (in upstate NY) and it’s finally at a point where butterflies have a good variety of plants. A couple of years ago I added native milkweeds and the squirrels eat the leaves and all that remain are stalks. I have a bunch of seed pods I got from a friend and I haven’t decided whether to cold stratify them inside or in the garden but so really don’t want to put all that effort into feeding the squirrels. Do you know of any ways to deter them?

This is such a helpful website. Thanks in advance for suggestions you may have.

Our Site link

4/6/2023 11:20:39 pm

So useful! Thanks for sharing these tips.

Ann Shea

5/10/2023 06:54:34 am

Great information here and wonderful comments. I life in So. Fla. and have a Butterfly Plant Exchange every other month. We've been doing it for 2 years and we always have about 25-30 show up to share seeds, seedlings, cuttings, etc. We post the events on a Nextdoor group and use sign. up dot com to manage RSVPs. (We also have wonderful refreshments). Different people volunteer to host it, affording an opportunity see active gardens and get ideas/learn more. I encourage others to start a Butterfly Plant Exchange in their area.

Troy

11/11/2023 02:04:48 pm

I harvested seed in the fall, and I plan to wait until spring to start the stratification process so I don't grow them too early to plant.
Are there any specific storage requirements until then?

11/12/2023 01:18:47 am

If they require cold stratification it's best to keep them in the fridge in a zip lock bag, for any other storage you can use paper bags until ready to plant. Good Luck. :-)

11/12/2023 04:15:53 am

Any advice on getting purple milkweed going? Last year I tried both inside and outside and only got one small plant out of 20 seeds. I’ve purchased more seed this year hoping for better results. I have lots of extra swamp milkweed if anyone needs any. Great article, thanks for your help.

Heather Simon

3/15/2024 01:44:04 pm

I still have quite a bit of butterfly weed seed that stayed put on the plant over the winter in eastern Ontario. Would that satisfy the requirement for moist cold stratification if I just start planting the seeds elsewhere in the yard to expand my butterfly weed plantings? I've had good success with the plants (purchased from a native plant nursery) and they bloomed last year for months (with deadheading of the seed pods until early fall).

3/16/2024 09:18:38 am

Hi Heather,
They should be ok to plant those seeds anywhere you like now.
I've put a page together for our local group in Windsor, ON that has almost all you need to know to become a milkweed expert. :-)
http://savethemonarchbutterfly.ca/milkweed-general-info.pdf

Brian

4/10/2024 08:25:18 am

What would be the recommended cold stratification period for Antelopehorn Milkweed Asclepias asperula?

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