Asclepias californica, California Milkweed

We are very pleased to offer California Milkweed for the first time. Native to the Bay Area and south, it is a great addition to any Monarch butterfly garden as it is their host plant. The foliage of this plant is an important food source for Monarch caterpillars early in the year before many of the other California native milkweeds emerge from dormancy.

California milkweed is a perennial that can reach 3 ft. tall and wide. It has thick stems that often creep along the ground and are covered with white, soft woolly hairs. The lavender to magenta pink flowers resemble a cluster of stars, and bloom April to July. It may start to go dormant in late summer but will resprout come spring.

This is a drought tolerant species that does well in hot dry conditions. The woolly stems and leaves help it retain moisture. If blossoming, the violet flowers contrast starkly with the woolly appearance of the foliage. It can be found in the wild growing on flats, grassy slopes, and open woods in clay and sandy soils.