Top Secret On How To Grow Milkweed Indoors

Last Updated on January 24, 2022 by Guillermina

So how to grow milkweed indoors? Milkweed is a lovely white flower that typically grows everywhere. They are native to Canada and U.S. but here’s the thing. Never judge easily by the plant’s name because this plant is different from the first thing that comes to your mind when you say “weed”.

Also known as Asclepias, milkweeds got their name from the sticky white sap that comes out from the leaves when they are damaged. There are more than 100 varieties of milkweeds all over U.S. and Canada.

These plants usually grow in the summer when the sun is at its full speed. They have colorful and fragrant flowers, which make them very attractive to monarch butterflies. But while they usually grow outdoors, many people have come to appreciate the idea of planting them indoors. Besides being beautiful, they can grow a bunch of beautiful flowers that can be used as indoor decorations.

How To Grow Milkweed Indoors For Decoration?

If you want to know how to grow milkweed indoors, the first thing that you should consider is the type of variety that you want to plant. Since it is impossible to get hold of all the varieties of milkweeds, you might start with the best three varieties. The following plants can thrive regardless of the weather condition.

  • Common milkweed (A. syriaca)
  • Swamp milkweed (A. incarnate)
  • Butterfly weed (A. tuberose)

 how to grow milkweed indoors

Milkweeds can grow up to 2-5 feet, depending on the species. If you are growing them inside, you may need to prune them to keep them grounded. With proper care, your milkweed can yield beautiful and colorful flowers. You can have yellow, green, purple, pink, and orange blooms.

How To Plant Milkweed Seeds

The best way to plant milkweed seeds is to use large seed pods that come from the fertilized flowers. IN the fall, these proficient self-sowers can simply split open and release hundreds of seeds. The following are some tips on how to plant milkweed indoors using seeds.

Where is the Best Site to Plant Milkweed?

Most milkweeds require full sun. Ideally, if you want to learn how to milkweed indoors properly, you should expose them to at least 4-6 hours of sunlight every day.

Since they self-pollinate quickly, find your plants in a piece of the nursery where you can likely control their wild spread. A spot that is shielded from the breeze will likewise assist with forestalling the spread of seeds while giving a more neighborly climate to butterflies.

It’s vital to take note that milkweed plants have a taproot and don’t relocate well. So, you need to decide on the best pot where you can place them permanently once they’ve grown. Once they have grown, you shouldn’t transfer them anymore.

 how to plant milkweed seeds

When to Plant Milkweed Seeds

If you’re establishing milkweed from seed, plant the seeds outside in the fall. This will provide them with the time to acclimate into the pot and grow steadily. Putting them outdoors first will assist quick germination and guarantee a decent showcase of blossoms the accompanying summer.

So, when to plant milkweed seeds? Assuming you buy starter plants, plant them in the spring after the last frost has passed. Once your plant shows some seedlings and has grown into beautiful flowers, you can start transferring them inside.

Learn more about Can Lantana Grow Indoors Succesfully?

How To Propagate Milkweed Seeds

Numerous milkweed species can promptly be developed from root or rhizome cuttings just as by seed. If you want to propagate your milkweed plant, make sure that it has been fully established. Take some cuttings during the late fall or early in the spring from the mother plant.

During the fall, the milkweed is dormant so it has a lot of stored energy in it. That means it would be easier to divide them and replant them in another pot. Once you have planted them in a new pot, they will soon develop into seedlings when the weather gets warmer. In any case, bring your new plants outside to get a breath of fresh air and a proper amount of sunlight exposure.

 how to propagate milkweed seeds

How To Grow Milkweed Indoors For Monarch Butterflies

According to the U.S. Forest Service, more than 450 insects are quite dependent on milkweed plants. These include seeing flies, beetles, ants, bees, wasps, and butterflies. But while you might hate most of the insects we’ve mentioned, you may want to grow milkweed and propagate them if you have a butterfly garden.

Monarch butterflies are yellow butterflies with dark pigmentations in their wings. They are important to the ecosystem because they are great pollinators. You may also see them in many animal zoos across the U.S. Growing milkweeds and placing them inside your butterfly garden will help feed monarch butterflies.

Milkweed Plant Care For Beginners

Like most wildflowers, milkweed is not difficult to develop and requires very little care. Most species are not truly pestered by heat, dry season, deer, or different vermin. Furthermore, because milkweed is a local plant that endures helpless soils, treatment isn’t required

Mulching

You can mulch milkweed to control weeds or hold dampness. However, not all assortments will benefit. Swamp milkweed will see the value in your water-maintenance endeavors.

However, milkweeds that incline toward dry soil, for example, normal milkweed and butterfly weed, are typically in an ideal situation with no mulch.

Pruning

Likewise with many blossoming perennials, eliminating wilted blossoms can bring about new buds-delaying the accessibility of nectar for rulers and different pollinators. Eliminate the blossom bunch simply over the principal set of leaves.

Bug control

A few plant irritations, for example, aphids, whiteflies, and milkweed bugs are resistant to the harmful impacts of milkweed and may benefit from the leaves and seed cases, however, they seldom cause critical harm. Additionally, eliminate leaf litter and stalks in the tumble to dispose of overwintering sites.

Learning how to grow milkweed indoors can be quite fun. Now that you know how to develop them inside your home, you can mix and match them with other beautiful blooms like sunflowers, roses, and even succulents.

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