I grew some from seed this year, too -- germinated quickly and easily. Planted them out at the back of the pasture, and last time I checked they were goners. Not sure if the wildlife enjoyed them as an appetizer or they just balked and went dormant. Eh, not too concerned about it -- if they live, great; if not, seed is cheap and this wasn't a lot of effort.

I've grown from seed and from a quart purchased plant.

From seed.... i moved them to a nursery bed for a year or two. The entire first year they just hang out at 8 inches or so. The second year ... half stayed the same.. others grew over a foot. They bloomed the third year after getting moved out to the garden.

From the quart plant... after it was happy for a season in a more damp location then common typically grows... it really took off sending up several shoots at the crown and blooming nicely.

Now purple milkweed is suppose to be a clumper... unlike common milkweed. But.... I ended up needing to move the plant because it was too close to the edge of a bed. I started digging... and digging. It had sent a runner out almost 5 feet... running under a giant daylily plant... and an then an ornamental grass... and still hadn't sent a shoot up once. So it could have gone farther.

POINT BEING... it's not a clumper!!!!! or minimally my plant doesn't know how to read it's instruction manual.

I planted several seedlings last year and only 1 plant returned. It is about 6 to 8 inches tall and is not growing much. Purple milkweed might prefer a moisture retention soil, but it will survive dry periods. It died spread by the roots and I wish mine was at that point, because it's a beautiful milkweed. I'll be starting more from seed next year. I have some recent photos of Asclepias purpurascens in the wild.

Ah, Jay! You give me something to look forward to!

Not sure I like the idea of them running. My silly self had a common milkweed come in a Hosta bed last year. It reached to just past the back eve of my house, but never bloomed. I did have cats on it, though! I tried digging it out. It's running everywhere. I wish I would have dug it our when it started, though, now.

Jay, I imagine that the difference of flower colors in your photos is attributable mostly to the way in which digital cameras render colors in different lighting. Was the difference less extreme to your eyes at the time?

terrilou: That is a gorgeous specimen! Most of mine are between 3-8" tall. One a little taller. I guess they do spend the first year or two building a healthy root system. I am so impatient, especially now that you and Jay have posted pics!

Four, the flowers were different shades. The softer colored plants were in a woodland near the opening by the paths, getting part sun, and the intense purple plants were growing in an open prairie in full sun. It wasn't my galaxy S21 ultra camera.

Jay, where would you say they seem to do best? Some afternoon shade?

Gawdinfever, they prefer partial sun. Afternoon shade or morning shade should work.

https://youtu.be/74ZZ5Y1PjXc

Thanks for link, Jay!