Seed Needs, Milkweed Seed Packet Collection to Attract Monarch Butterflies (5 Individual Seed Varieties to Plant) Heirloom & Untreated Seeds

I appreciate the work of collecting the seeds. However, the seeds won't grow as fast as my need to feed my multiple caterpillars.

A food assortment of seeds. Planted later than usual because of weather. Have been growing well and now a few flowers are popping out. Will have to thin some since planted heavily. Waiting for zinnias to bloom

Amazing! I have been trying to grow milkweed for at least 3 seasons. This year it finally worked! I live in PA and watched a lot of online tutorials. I sowed the seeds outdoors the first week of March in small pots with top quality potting soil and scattered pebbles on top of half of the pots as an experiment. This is the absolute latest you can start growing them outdoors I have now learned. They need a lot of cold to get activated. The ones with pebbles sprouted 3-4x more. The pebbles were essential to the process! They protect the seeds from the elements, especially the winds of March and the migration of birds looking for food. I have no idea yet which ones have grown in the most, but I definitely have so many now I'm gonna have to start giving them away. Worth it if it keeps the monarchs living another day! 🦋

I ordered these milkweed seeds the first week of June, too late for planting in Zone 9B, but I’m going to try a few of each variety now and save the rest for next fall. (Their sell-by date is September 9, 2026, more than a year away, and there are 50-70 seeds per packet.) The directions say milkweed seeds need a period of “stratification” prior to planting. Stratification of seeds involves exposing them to conditions that help them germinate, and my “test seeds” are going to have to spend a month on damp paper towels in sandwich bags in the refrigerator before I can plant them this year. After that, it will take another 14 -28 days before they sprout. I am hoping to have at least a few flowers for the Monarchs when they come through in October. The five milkweed varieties have varying soil and water requirements and adult plant sizes. They all need 6-8 hours of full sun and spread to about 2 feet wide and almost all grow 3 to 4 feet tall. The exception is “Butterfly Orange”, which is only 18 to 30 inches tall. The “Swamp White” and “Swamp Pink” varieties like wet clay soil. “Showy Pink” and “Butterfly Orange” grow best in sandy soil and need less water. “Common Pink” is happy in most kinds of soil and needs less water with age. All five varieties produce multiple 2 to 5-inch clusters of flowers that attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds.

They have started. Cannot wait for blooms. I began them in my hydroponic system

In late January I planted showy milkweed in a milk jug and set it outside experimenting with a planting style. The milk jug was completely sealed soil was new. I did not grow milkweed. Same with the butterfly. Both produced petunias as well as the pictured plants. I definitely will continue to plant the other seeds in containers for transplanting once identified. They grew well though so there is that.

Well packaged, arrived in excellent shape. Pretty enough seed packs to make them a fun hostess gift. Very detailed planting and care instructions on the back of the seed pack. Can't wait to watch them grow and help the butterflies!

I cold treated the seeds for 4 weeks before planting. I planted 5 or more seeds per pot. Of 20 pots , I got 15 with one or more germinating seedling. I estimate the germinating rate at about 20%. I was disappointed by this. So plan on planting 5 or more seeds to get a plant. The 5 different colors come in 5 envelopes with about 50-100 seeds per envelope.