It will start popping up all over your garden at 3 foot intervals until it becomes king.Thats something you wouldn't even want your choicest specimens doing.Dig it out by carefully loosening the soil going out away from the plant keeping in mind that the roots may be extending from the plant for distance of 2 or 3 feet.Then begin pulling the root by the stem and following it out making sure to remove all of it. I have to do this myself because I have been battling one for the past few years and enough is enough.And the Campsis radicans I've been trying to snuff out for the same amount of time isn't helping.It's a hassle trying to remove common milkweed,but at least you don't require the use of a fine seive to filter out microscopic root filaments like you do with Aegopodium LOL...

I love mine. And at the moment it's the food for a dozen happy caterpillars. It does like to pop up in unexpected places though.

So Seydoux, was it something you planted for the Monarchs? Or is it native for you and just popped up?

Everyone, I love milkweeds and wish every garden in the country had at least one plant for the sake of the Monarchs,and Tussock moths and milkweed beetles and Lady beetles whose larva eat the orange aphids.There are so many Asclepius species that behave well in the garden,why not use one of those.You can't successfully carry out any planned beds when common milkweed keeps popping up randomly in different plantings.It's tall growth and wide foliage throw a lot of shade on surrounding plants.

I probably planted it for the monarchs, but I thought it died. Now I have quite a few, I will move it to the meadow section and there I wont care.

Good idea. Just be careful. I potted some that was in my way for a friend and didn't realize there was a hitchhiker.

Lucky you. I haven't seen any Monarch cats on any of my milkweeds for a few years. I saw an adult once that was drinking at my hummingbird feeder. I should go check for eggs after I see them landing on the plants,maybe something is eating them.This is what it sounds like on the butterfly forum.

I have common milkweed and it has never been a problem. Any given year I will only have 2-4 of them growing and I intentionally sow the billowy seeds.

tj

That's great. In my garden they have always spread too far out of bounds. I was hoping the current one would stay put,but it hasn't.My soil is good so maybe that encourages it to roam. I could surround it with a barrier I suppose. I see yards where it drifted in and colonised, but grew in a contained area and probably the owners let it stay for the Monarchs. I think that's cool.It starts looking a little ragged in late summer and fall when the lower leaves turn yellow and drop,so I think if you plan on growing it,it would be better to have something surrounding it to cover the bare spot when it starts dropping leaves. It can exude a bit of a tropical look when growing near complimentary plants in the right setting.It's a nice plant,but may need containment in many garden situations.There are quite a few other Asclepius species that resemble A.syriciana in foliage and form that may behave better,but I haven't tried any of them yet. I have a small garden so I really can't allow plants like common milkweed, Jerusalem artichoke, Rudbekia laciniata or Phyllostachys nuda,ECT,ECT, to run rampant. I have grown them all, and run they did.You can usually predict how plants will spread,but A. syriciana will zig zag and change direction and there is no telling where it will pop next.If people want to grow it, that's cool. I would say just exercise caution and plan on some form of containment if you have beds planned out and don't want unplanned elements marring your completed vision.If you have it drift in on the breeze and you don't care that it spreads,and you want to keep it for the Monarchs,well that's a great,noble thing to do also.They need all the help they can get!