Common Milkweed Common Name : Common Milkweed Scientific Name : Asclepias syriaca Native Status : Native to Michigan/North America Annual/Perennial : Perennial Planting Time : Early spring or fall Bloom Time : June-August Bloom Color : Pink Height : 3-5 feet Width : 1-2 feet Soil Type : Well-drained, sandy or loamy Soil pH : 6.0-7.0 Sunlight : Full sun Water Needs : Moderate Pollinators Benefited : Monarch butterflies, bees, native wasps, hummingbirds Wildlife Benefits : Seeds are food for birds Companion Plants : Purple Coneflower, Wild Bergamot Maintenance : Low, spreads through rhizomes Other Notes : Toxic if ingested in large quantities Ease of Growing : 5 (Very easy) Growing From Seed : Cold stratification for 30 days if starting in spring Germinates in 2-4 weeks Direct sow in late fall after first frost, or start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost Transplant when seedlings are 3 inches tall ...