Asclepias Cordifolia Care

Habitat

• Where heart-leaf milkweed grows naturally gives an indication of the kind of garden situation and care it needs. Its range is restricted to northern California, southern Oregon and western Nevada in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. It grows from sea level to 8,500 feet in elevation. It prefers open, rocky, gravelly slopes but also grows in wooded or forested areas. Be guided by its need for good drainage.

Planting

• Near the coast or in cooler summer areas, plant heart-leaf milkweed in full sun. In hotter summer areas, it tolerates partial shade. Plant it in spring, providing it with rich, well-draining soil. The area should be free of weeds or competing plants. Milkweeds don't appreciate root disturbance, so minimize transplant shock by keeping the taproot and root ball as intact as possible. If possible, find seedlings growing in peat pots, so the heart-leaf milkweed can be planted without unpotting it.

Care After Planting

• Water the plant thoroughly immediately after planting it, and water it deeply and regularly during its first growing season, This helps establish the deep, wide root system the plant regrows from year after year and that helps this native plant tolerate drought. Once established, heart-leaf milkweed needs little care. You might like to mark its location in the garden so you don't disturb its area when it is dormant.

Larval Host Care

• One of the reasons to add heart-leaf milkweed to your garden is to provide food for the caterpillars of the monarch butterfly and its threatened migration pattern. Habitat destruction is decreasing native milkweed plants, leading to fewer monarch butterflies. Grow several heart-leaf milkweeds to provide plenty of leaves for the caterpillars. Give the plants extra water, if needed, to regrow the leaves eaten by caterpillars. Although heart-leaf milkweed doesn't usually need fertilizer, if you have heavy caterpillar feeding, consider applying one-half the recommended rate or 1 1/2 tablespoons of controlled-release 14-14-14 fertilizer for every 2-foot by 2-foot area occupied by the milkweeds. Work it into the top 1 to 3 inches of soil or mulch. Check the package as rates vary by brand.

Fruiting Plant Care

• Extra care after bloom also promotes good seed formation in the teardrop-shaped, purple-tinged fruits. Harvest the seed pods as they start to dry up but before they split open to release the silky, parachuted seeds. Store the fruits in loosely closed paper bags. You can grow more heart-leaf milkweed from the seeds, share them with friends or make them available to butterfly conservation organizations for their restoration plantings.