I can't imagine whay anyone would grow milkweed. I pull up milkweed plants in my garden all of the time. How are the plants used?

Many butterflies rely on them for food. Adults consume the nectar, caterpillars (Monarchs, Swallowtails etc) eat the leaves.

I don't buy plants, can't afford it BUT it is fairly easy to grow A. syriaca, incarnata and tuberosa (orange) from seed! Why not buy some seeds and grow your own?

I bought mine from:

Here is a link that might be useful: buy asclepias seeds

Would you like for me to collect milkweed seeds for you this growing season?

Wish I had seen this Saturday. The Native Plant sale in Park Fairfax in Alexandria was this weekend and one vendor had lots. Keep an eye out-there is a fall sale there, too. You could also try Nature by Design Nursery in Alexandria off Route 1 north of Alex. City.

Meadows Farm off Route 7 in Leesburg has them, also Blue Mount Nursery off Route 7 near Leesburg has them.

I agree they are expensive! I finally found some at Merrifield In Fairfax.
They were the only place that had them when I called around.

Im growing them in huge containers. Although this is my 1st time doing it my dad was very successful growing in containers. He usually takes care of this but he was called home so im doing it now. Never realized how important milkweed was to the Monarch until a school trip to Dc. With my son.

I did not know you could just buy the seeds or even collect them . (Yup im pretty new to gardening).
I have a few a. Incarnate 2 a tuberosa. I would like to get some of that common milkweed.

Just an update. I found the milkweed I needed. At a very comfortable affording price at that. They arrived well packed. The site is joyfulbutterfly.com ...5 plants for $34.70. $11.95 was shipping though. Also I bought a.curassavica seeds 500 for $2.50 from Everwilde farms. I think this is the most ive been excited in along time...haha...

If you're looking for Milkweed seeds and plugs try Monarch Watch at http://www.monarchwatch.org/ and click on the "Milkweed Market" tab for how to get milkweed plugs. Also Live Monarch http://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm has seeds for a donation of $3.00 to cover postage and handling. Live Monarch also has Monarch Chrysalises and supplies to help raise Monarchs to support restoring the population numbers here: http://www.livemonarch.com/teaching.htm

There are alerts going out all over gardening networks that Monarch butterfly populations are in serious decline due to reduced populations of milkweed now that farmers are using more herbicides in fields (a major source of wild milkweed since many gardeners don't grow it).

Gardeners are strongly encouraged to help bolster the populations by increasing the use of milkweed in their own gardens.

Monarch populations have plunged to about 1/3 of what they were in recent years. Since they only eat milkweed as developing caterpillars, presence of this plant (there are many species) is essential to their survival.

I don't need milkweed now lol.
I found some at Merrifield and a place far out in Strasburg. I actually have seeds now and have 30 monarch cats inside the home. I have already released 9 and this is my first year doing it! Yay!!

I do container gardening only ( I live in an apt) & ppl said it couldnt be done. 3 of my mw plants are 5 feet tall!!!