Green Milkweed

Year-round

Green milkweed is a 1 to 3 foot plant that wants full sun, sandy or gravelly soil, and a spot you will not need to move.

• Give it full sun and well-drained soil. It handles dry to moist ground but does not need rich soil.
• It grows a deep taproot, so pick the final spot before planting and avoid moving it later.
• Water new plants during their first season. After that, rain is usually enough in Harrisburg.
• Expect aphids now and then. Most of the time you can leave them or rinse them off with a hose.

Fall

Fall is when seed pods ripen and the plant winds down. Harrisburg frosts will finish the foliage.

• Let pods ripen if you want seedlings next year. The plant reseeds itself.
• Stop watering established plants. Fall rain is enough.
• Wait to cut stems until they are fully brown. Do not clear the whole bed at once.
• Mark the spot before the stems disappear so you remember where it is.

If the browning stems look messy from the street, trim them to a few inches once pods have opened and keep the rest of the bed edged.

Winter

Winter is quiet. The plant is dormant, and the roots are alive underground.

• Do not water or fertilize. Leave the spot alone.
• Do not dig it up if it looks dead. The taproot is still there.
• Avoid piling heavy wet mulch on the crown, since soil that stays soggy can hurt it.
• Plan any new plantings now and keep the site in full sun with sandy or gravelly soil.

Spring

Spring is slow for this plant. New shoots come up later than most perennials, so be patient before you worry.

• Mark where it grows so you do not dig or mulch over late shoots.
• Keep mulch thin and away from the crown. Sandy, well-drained soil suits it best.
• Water new plantings about once a week in dry spells until roots settle.
• Skip rich compost and fertilizer. It prefers lean soil.

Summer

Summer is bloom time. Greenish-white flower clusters open and last for weeks.

• Established plants rarely need watering. Water young plants deeply during long dry stretches.
• The flowers draw native bees, bumble bees, and honey bees, so skip sprays near it.
• Look under leaves for aphids. A strong hose spray usually handles them.
• If you see stem borers or seed bugs, they are part of the plant's normal visitors and rarely need action.