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Milkweed

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Flat Low volatility Forecasted decline
Milkweed
What is Milkweed?

Milkweed is a group of perennial plants native to North America, known for their milky sap and as the primary food source for monarch caterpillars. They play a crucial role in ecosystems and are increasingly recognized for their benefits in gardening and conservation.

Treendly Index Treendly Forecast Google YouTube Amazon
MOM: +43.82%
How much search volume does it get?
Google searches
201K/mo
Amazon searches
10.9K/mo
Who is interested in this?
Gender
Female
79%
Unspecified
14%
Male
7%
Age
18-24
23%
25-34
35%
35-44
21%
45-49
5%
50-54
5%
55-64
7%
65+
4%

Is Milkweed trending?

Milkweed declining with a month-over-month change of -0.2% over the past 5 years, though it still receives approximately 201,000 monthly searches.


Why is Milkweed trending?

1
Support for Monarch Butterflies
Milkweed is essential for the survival of monarch butterflies, as it serves as the sole host plant for their larvae. With declining monarch populations, planting milkweed has become a popular way to support their conservation.
2
Pollinator Habitat
Milkweed attracts a variety of pollinators, including bees and other beneficial insects. As awareness of the importance of pollinator health grows, more gardeners are incorporating milkweed into their landscapes.
3
Native Plant Movement
The native plant movement encourages the use of indigenous plants in landscaping to promote biodiversity and ecosystem health. Milkweed, being native to many regions in the US, fits perfectly into this trend.
4
Sustainable Gardening Practices
As more people adopt sustainable gardening practices, milkweed is favored for its low maintenance and drought-resistant qualities, making it an attractive option for eco-friendly gardens.
5
Educational Opportunities
Milkweed provides educational opportunities for schools and communities to learn about ecosystems, pollinators, and conservation efforts, fostering a greater appreciation for nature.

What are people saying?

47 threads
AI Insights Mixed sentiment
Discussions about milkweed primarily revolve around its gardening benefits, uses in attracting butterflies, and challenges in cultivation. Participants share tips, experiences, and questions related to growing and utilizing milkweed.
Gardening and Plant Care
Users discuss planting, growing, and caring for milkweed in their gardens, including challenges with pests and environmental factors.
Butterfly Attraction
Many participants highlight the importance of milkweed in attracting and supporting butterfly populations, particularly monarchs.
Culinary Uses
Some discussions explore the potential culinary uses of milkweed, including its variants for making cheese and other dishes.
Seed Sourcing and Germination
Forum members share experiences and tips on sourcing milkweed seeds and the germination process, including specific requirements for different regions.
Frustrations with Inventory Issues
Players in gaming discussions express frustration over technical issues with milkweed not appearing in their inventory despite harvesting.
Common questions
  • What are the best practices for growing milkweed?
  • How can I attract more butterflies to my garden using milkweed?
  • Are there any culinary recipes that use milkweed?
  • What are the specific requirements for germinating milkweed seeds?
  • Why is milkweed not showing up in my game inventory?
Pain points
  • Difficulty in growing milkweed due to pests or environmental conditions.
  • Challenges in sourcing quality milkweed seeds.
  • Technical issues with tracking milkweed in games.
  • Concerns about deer and other wildlife eating milkweed plants.
  • Uncertainty about the proper care and maintenance of milkweed.
r/GuerrillaGardening
I threw some milkweed seeds out my window at the McDriveThru last fall
Totally unexpected that they took with the amount of mulch they use submitted by /u/SirFentonOfDog to r/GuerrillaGardening [link] [comments]
SirFentonOfDog · May 13, 2026
r/NativePlantGardening
Finally got around to ripping out all the prickly lettuce in our side yards and discovered that the single milkweed plant who randomly showed up last year has 10x’d itself 🥹💛
submitted by /u/xoloffo to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
xoloffo · May 8, 2026
r/NativePlantGardening
Milkweed runners are no joke!
So I knew milkweed was aggressive, but I always thought people were talking about the crazy number of seed pods. I didn’t know their runner game. The milkweed is coming up like crazy in my front bed this year so I thought I would transplant some “volunteers” to my new side garden bed. Imagine my surprise! I‘m sure most of you know about all this already, but I thought this would be a good visual for other newbie native gardeners ETA: that this is common milkweed since I forgot to put the type in my post. submitted by /u/kaizenkitten to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
kaizenkitten · May 4, 2026
r/NativePlantGardening
I just found my milkweed COVERED with monarch caterpillars- now I’m worried I don’t have enough milkweed
Hey y’all, This is my first time ever gardening and I am in south Louisiana. I purchased two milkweed plants thinking it would be cool if the butterflies liked it and apparently at least one did! There are at least 13 caterpillars on the plant in the video, and in my second plant I was able to spot 3 (a GINORMOUS one plus two small little guys). I have a feeling two milkweed plants isn’t enough to feed 15+ monarch caterpillars- is this correct? Would it be a good idea to go to the garden store tomorrow and buying a few more? If so how many? Is there anything else I can do to help these little guys? I appreciate the advice! submitted by /u/Consistent_Cat4436 to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
Consistent_Cat4436 · Apr 5, 2026
r/mildlyinteresting
Hardware store milkweed came preloaded with a couple monarch caterpillars
submitted by /u/d_marvin to r/mildlyinteresting [link] [comments]
d_marvin · Mar 27, 2026
r/gardening
PSA: Tropical Milkweed
Happy spring, fellow gardeners! Was just at my local hardware shop and saw they have (tropical) milkweed back in stock, which they are advertising as “safe” due to being non-sprayed. This bothered me because it felt like a clever way to pacify those who know there are “good” and “bad” varieties of milkweed but haven’t dived deeply into the issue. It struck me as deceptive marketing and that inspired me to start this discussion. Please see the link in comments for additional context as I am not an expert. (Also, experts please weigh in!) — As someone who loves butterfly gardening, I made the mistake of buying tropical milkweed a couple years ago. I wanted to create a safe space to help monarchs thrive, and they started fluttering in and laying eggs almost immediately. I was thrilled and loved coming outside to observe the caterpillars and their growth. Unfortunately, come to find out, tropical is a host for a Monarch parasite called OE that is known to disrupt migration cycles, cause deformities, and even death for those infected. This is largely due to tropical milkweed flowering year round. It is an invasive species in many regions that will take over your garden if allowed to flower. I learned about the issues of tropical milkweed and decided to remove it ~ 3-4 months after planting (in a container). This was approximately 2 years ago, and still today, I am constantly finding milkweed seedlings sprout up in my backyard. I have even seem them in my neighbors’ yards. I feel terrible about it and try to control the spread in my own backyard, and inform my neighbors of the issues, but the problem has honestly scaled beyond my control. For the record: I only bought/planted 2x tropical milkweed plants (exactly as pictured, from the same location). I’m amazed by how much they were able to spread. Note I am located in Fl. All of this said—I understand there is some controversy about exactly how much of a threat tropical milkweed poses to Monarchs, and admittedly I am not a scientist. However I have done a fair amount of research around the topic and have seen the way this plant can take over firsthand. So in my opinion, if there is even a chance that this plant is bad for monarchs, we should avoid it and opt for local milkweed varieties instead. Butterfly gardening is a beautiful thing, just please do your research before before planting 🦋💙 submitted by /u/AdvertisingRoyalty to r/gardening [link] [comments]
AdvertisingRoyalty · Mar 8, 2026
All threads (47)
Thread Source Author Date
RE:General use Gardening thread
Sure, ours are in shrub borders with butterfly and hummingbird supportive plantings. Lots of catmint, daylillies, spiderflower and more i cant bring to mind atm. I wish we had some milkweed and monarda.
overgrow.com Budddzzz May 19, 2026
RE:More Unpopular, or controversial opinions on fiction you hold (Thread 2)
... least a good strong nudge. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli was indeed...
forums.spacebattles.com Darkdarkar May 19, 2026
RE:Working in Threes - May 2026
It’s been raining and raining since yesterday. If it doesn’t freeze tonight, our garden will be very happy. Put away dishes. Put out large chair for trash collection. Planted some milkweed seeds. It’s a bit late, but the ground is damp and cold, so maybe they’ll be fooled that they just passed through winter.
takeonestepatatime.proboards.com goldenthreads May 18, 2026
RE:(Old) I think I MAY start the MMP
... come. My deer deterrent is milkweed. Its not known to be...
boards.straightdope.com JaneDoe42 May 18, 2026
RE:Bloodborne Riddles 37
Milkweed rune?
gamefaqs.gamespot.com Lord_of_Pigeons May 16, 2026
RE:VSR Friday May 15th
... the summer because I have milkweed growing up in the grass...
thegardenersshed.proboards.com luvmyb_b May 15, 2026
RE:Garden 2026
Ok! Bee balm Couple types of milkweed (I keep trying to grow it for om seed and failing) Three foxgloves (same issue) A rose of Sharon Some annuals for the back porch pots Zucchini, green bean and couple other veggies for the beds as the spinach will be used up soon I'm forgetting something. It's all on the deck waiting to plant tomorrow and I can't be bothered to get out of the hammock.
www.yelp.com Gregory S. May 15, 2026
RE:General crafting, sewing, Legos, hobby Thread
Well, the garden is finally in. This is the latest that I have planted because we have had a lot of cool weather. 69 tomatoes, jalapeños, leeks ,cucumbers, and celery. Mrs. Spanish put in some new clematis and coneflower. And she will be planting her dahlias soon. And her milkweed is growing/spreading like crazy.
forums.wdwmagic.com Ricky Spanish May 12, 2026
RE:Charlotte, NC: He killed her unprovoked on the subway.
Milkweed Host said: "The man who ...
www.timebomb2000.com Doc1 May 10, 2026
Examples of Animal Self-Medication
... digestion. Insects: Monarch caterpillars consume milkweed that is toxic to the...
forums.delphiforums.com rosey (rosey58) May 10, 2026
the Crown Flower or Giant Milkweed
Crown Flower# Giant Milkweed# s24fe# kolkata photography#
r2.community.samsung.com Ghonti May 10, 2026
RE:NO CHOSEN HUNTSMAN (DISCO ELYSIUM / RWBY QUEST)
... the levels of Mischa from Milkweed, but I can sure try...
forums.spacebattles.com Some_guy_161 May 10, 2026
RE:Death Dream of the Baloney Sandwich
Milkweed Host said: Any baloney sandwich is not complete without sliced green olives. That's called olive loaf; it ain't the same!
www.timebomb2000.com RB Martin May 9, 2026
RE:Let's See The Wild Animals In Your Yard
Milkweed bug IMG_20260508_1552361920×2560 112 KB
overgrow.com Headies12green May 8, 2026
RE:2026 Mowing/Landscaping Log
Quote: Originally Posted by Boo Killing the bees, his pets and his kids all at once We have several areas where pollinators do well. Out front we have a bunch of Autumn Joy that the bees and butterflies love. In back we have a bunch of milkweed for monarchs. Buncha Bryan Johnson's on this board, evidently
www.blowoutforums.com ssbledsoe May 8, 2026
RE:Grid Doctor 3300
Milkweed Host said: I second Will ...
www.timebomb2000.com Profit of Doom May 7, 2026
RE:어떻게 식물 이름이 X알?
...이 있는데 balloon milkweed, balloon plant, balloon cotton bush...
www.fmkorea.com 갓자튀김 May 6, 2026
RE:What "Traditional Knife" are ya totin' today?
Posing next to milkweed, which is attracting many butterflies and hummingbirds.
www.bladeforums.com Rufus1949 May 6, 2026
Illinois Audubon Society assists with 965 acre purchase in Monroe County, Illinois
... bat, northern long-eared bat, climbing milkweed, timber rattlesnake, cerulean warbler, and...
www.democraticunderground.com mucifer May 4, 2026
> Missed free play opportunities
... of aphids and ladybug attacks. Milkweed aphids could spawn more and...
steamcommunity.com agrantlewis May 3, 2026
RE:The Wild Adventures of a Young Pirate(One Piece/Youjo Senki)
... to predators due to consuming milkweed, which they store in their...
forums.spacebattles.com AvidReader2425 May 2, 2026
RE:책 이름 찾아요
...녕, 제리(원제: Milkweed)》일 가능성이...목: 《안녕, 제리》(Milkweed) — 주인공이 스...
kin.naver.com 답변채택부탁드립니다 May 2, 2026
> Any unique abilities?
Was looking at getting the game but I was wondering if the game was 'pure human' or if there is something more unique that you can get/use, like the beast's embrace or milkweed runes from bloodborne or yokai shift from nioh 2, stuff like that you know?
steamcommunity.com ☼Solaire Of Astora☼ May 1, 2026
RE:Taste Like Chicken Wed Apr29
... picking up some marigolds and milkweed tomorrow and maybe a few...
wwmessageboard.freeforums.net texasless91 Apr 29, 2026
RE:VSR Tuesday April 28
... do there. Also transplanted some Milkweed volunteers & a couple of...
thegardenersshed.proboards.com Gayle Apr 29, 2026
I threw some milkweed seeds out my window at the McDriveThru last fall
Totally unexpected that they took with the amount of mulch they use submitted by /u/SirFentonOfDog to r/GuerrillaGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com SirFentonOfDog May 13, 2026
Finally got around to ripping out all the prickly lettuce in our side yards and discovered that the single milkweed plant who randomly showed up last year has 10x’d itself 🥹💛
submitted by /u/xoloffo to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com xoloffo May 8, 2026
Milkweed runners are no joke!
So I knew milkweed was aggressive, but I always thought people were talking about the crazy number of seed pods. I didn’t know their runner game. The milkweed is coming up like crazy in my front bed this year so I thought I would transplant some “volunteers” to my new side garden bed. Imagine my surprise! I‘m sure most of you know about all this already, but I thought this would be a good visual for other newbie native gardeners ETA: that this is common milkweed since I forgot to put the type in my post. submitted by /u/kaizenkitten to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com kaizenkitten May 4, 2026
I just found my milkweed COVERED with monarch caterpillars- now I’m worried I don’t have enough milkweed
Hey y’all, This is my first time ever gardening and I am in south Louisiana. I purchased two milkweed plants thinking it would be cool if the butterflies liked it and apparently at least one did! There are at least 13 caterpillars on the plant in the video, and in my second plant I was able to spot 3 (a GINORMOUS one plus two small little guys). I have a feeling two milkweed plants isn’t enough to feed 15+ monarch caterpillars- is this correct? Would it be a good idea to go to the garden store tomorrow and buying a few more? If so how many? Is there anything else I can do to help these little guys? I appreciate the advice! submitted by /u/Consistent_Cat4436 to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com Consistent_Cat4436 Apr 5, 2026
Hardware store milkweed came preloaded with a couple monarch caterpillars
submitted by /u/d_marvin to r/mildlyinteresting [link] [comments]
reddit.com d_marvin Mar 27, 2026
PSA: Tropical Milkweed
Happy spring, fellow gardeners! Was just at my local hardware shop and saw they have (tropical) milkweed back in stock, which they are advertising as “safe” due to being non-sprayed. This bothered me because it felt like a clever way to pacify those who know there are “good” and “bad” varieties of milkweed but haven’t dived deeply into the issue. It struck me as deceptive marketing and that inspired me to start this discussion. Please see the link in comments for additional context as I am not an expert. (Also, experts please weigh in!) — As someone who loves butterfly gardening, I made the mistake of buying tropical milkweed a couple years ago. I wanted to create a safe space to help monarchs thrive, and they started fluttering in and laying eggs almost immediately. I was thrilled and loved coming outside to observe the caterpillars and their growth. Unfortunately, come to find out, tropical is a host for a Monarch parasite called OE that is known to disrupt migration cycles, cause deformities, and even death for those infected. This is largely due to tropical milkweed flowering year round. It is an invasive species in many regions that will take over your garden if allowed to flower. I learned about the issues of tropical milkweed and decided to remove it ~ 3-4 months after planting (in a container). This was approximately 2 years ago, and still today, I am constantly finding milkweed seedlings sprout up in my backyard. I have even seem them in my neighbors’ yards. I feel terrible about it and try to control the spread in my own backyard, and inform my neighbors of the issues, but the problem has honestly scaled beyond my control. For the record: I only bought/planted 2x tropical milkweed plants (exactly as pictured, from the same location). I’m amazed by how much they were able to spread. Note I am located in Fl. All of this said—I understand there is some controversy about exactly how much of a threat tropical milkweed poses to Monarchs, and admittedly I am not a scientist. However I have done a fair amount of research around the topic and have seen the way this plant can take over firsthand. So in my opinion, if there is even a chance that this plant is bad for monarchs, we should avoid it and opt for local milkweed varieties instead. Butterfly gardening is a beautiful thing, just please do your research before before planting 🦋💙 submitted by /u/AdvertisingRoyalty to r/gardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com AdvertisingRoyalty Mar 8, 2026
My new favorite way to disperse Common Milkweed seeds
Monarch Uber service is now live. I've turned my truck into a mobile seed dispersal unit. submitted by /u/No-Cover4993 to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com No-Cover4993 Nov 7, 2025
Please Pull Your Milkweed 🫠
I saw in a gardening group that some people have their milkweed out for the monarch migration happening in the fall. Most likely invasive tropical milkweed because that's the only one that grows this time of year. Here is why it is a BAD idea: Monarchs generate 4 generations as they migrate south to north, but only ONE generation comes back south to overwinter in Mexico and re-start the process in the spring. When monarchs see milkweed out this time of year, their instincts kick in and they think it's time to reproduce. Why is that an issue? 1. When bugs reproduce they generally pass away immediately afterwards. 2. The eggs and caterpillars are COLD blooded. Meaning they need it to be WARM in order to complete their life stages. With it being this cold, they won't make it. And there goes 4 generations of new Monarchs for the next spring. What you CAN plant and/or do to help the butterflies: Plant native species especially purple or red flowers. Ones that produce a lot of nectar. Provide a water source with stones or pedals so that they do not drown. (They prefer muddy water if you can provide a mud patch. It provides them salt among other minerals they need.) Reduce/ eliminate night time lighting to help migratory pollinators. **I am not yet a master gardener. That is something I will do in the future. I do have a diploma in gardening and I take gardening classes often on top of my formal education. submitted by /u/Least_Guard_6515 to r/gardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com Least_Guard_6515 Oct 24, 2025
First year planting milkweed, have 6 monarch caterpillars!
The milkweed did really well over the summer and I thought we missed having monarch caterpillars but looked out today and both plants had some. Too cool! submitted by /u/saphyress to r/gardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com saphyress Sep 14, 2025
When life gives you waterlogged clay soil, rabbits, and deer, plant Rose Mallow, Cardinal Flower, Blue Lobelia, Obedient plants, Milkweed, Blazing Star, and Joe Pye.
submitted by /u/soverylucky to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com soverylucky Aug 8, 2025
Study on milkweed arrangement
Just came across this really interesting study by the University of Kentucky, studying the effect that garden milkweed arrangement has on the abundance of monarchs. They found that milkweed planted on the edge/perimeter of the garden had 2.5 to 4 times more abundant eggs and larva than milkweed plants surrounded or intermixed in a garden. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2019.00474/ submitted by /u/goblin-fox to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com goblin-fox Aug 8, 2025
Somethings eating my milkweed. What's the best way to get rid of these little guys?!
Just kidding! We have about 7 or 8 of these monarch larvae going to town on our milkweed. My kids love coming out ever day to check on them. They've named them all as well! submitted by /u/ComradeNorgren to r/gardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com ComradeNorgren Apr 30, 2025
Advice needed for common milkweed in my small garden.
Hi all! First time poster here. I’m located in southeast Michigan, zone 6b. Last summer I planted a couple young common milkweed plants in my little backyard native plant garden. They’ve done well and have of course been spreading by rhizomes, but not out of control. I didn’t read up about it being a bad choice for small gardens until recently. Now I’m starting to fret that I’ve screwed up by including them. I do have other milkweeds next to them: swamp milkweed and butterfly milkweed. I’m including some pics. Everything is kind of “floppy” right now, especially the common milkweed with its heavy seed pods. I also have cup plant, New England aster, lavender and giant yellow hyssop, wild bergamot, common yarrow, Virginia mountain mint, false sunflower, black eyed susans, early and late figwort, and more planted in this small garden. So, have I doomed all of these other plants to being overtaken by the common milkweed? Should I attempt to pull all of the common milkweed out? Is it possible to leave it in but keep it under control? I already plan on cutting off the seed pods to give away before they open and the seeds fly. I just don’t know if that will be enough. If anyone knows what I should do, please advise! Also, I’ve had at least one monarch caterpillar this year, and recently had a female monarch butterfly come by and leg at least a couple eggs so if it’s advisable that I remove it I would definitely wait until sometime in the fall. Thank you in advance! submitted by /u/jenn-jenn-84 to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com jenn-jenn-84 Jul 28, 2024
Before After Pictures of my Milkweed Empire
1 and 2 are before pictures 3-6 are after 7-9 are butterflies I saw although there was a big yellow one that was really pretty submitted by /u/Bearclaw7309 to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com Bearclaw7309 Jun 18, 2024
are ANY of the milkweeds I planted native to Texas??
submitted by /u/tranteryost to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com tranteryost Jun 16, 2024
Common milkweed--am I gonna regret this?
I'm in North Alabama. This is only my second year planting natives in my yard. I have very little gardening experience, so I buy plants rather than seeds and I'm mostly a hands-off gardener. In my first native plant bed I've got common milkweed in the corner by the fence (first 2 pictures). I also have a spot in the front yard (3rd picture). (There's a third spot that's newest and smallest I dug up today and hopefully got it all.) From what I've read, common milkweed is relatively aggressive in spread but some say it's not too hard to pull up when it moves outside of where you want it. Am I going to regret planting it? 🙃🫠🫤 submitted by /u/Toezap to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com Toezap Jun 2, 2024
A monarch butterfly flew to me and landed on my hat while I was working. Only after trying to place it on a milkweed plant did I notice that it was completely headless.
I know that many insects can survive for quite some time without a head, but to be visited by The Headless Monarch was a bit unnerving. submitted by /u/Techi-C to r/Weird [link] [comments]
reddit.com Techi-C Oct 5, 2023
Can anyone ID these little guys. Found on my Milkweed plants. Tampa Florida.
submitted by /u/PepperjackMB to r/whatsthisbug [link] [comments]
reddit.com PepperjackMB Apr 2, 2023
Found FIVE of these on my milkweed!
submitted by /u/innovationcynic to r/gardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com innovationcynic Aug 16, 2022
This was planted 4 years ago as one plant. My 6’4 hubby for scale. I love the common milkweed forest, but if we’re not careful it’s going to take over the whole yard. Lol I think we have around 100 or so just common milkweed plants now. (It’s hard to show).
submitted by /u/Petrichor_Pete to r/NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com Petrichor_Pete Jun 5, 2022
Saw this on a local gardening page! You can receive free, native milkweed seeds to aid in Monarch conservation!
submitted by /u/thirdcoastcottage to r/gardening [link] [comments]
reddit.com thirdcoastcottage Jan 18, 2022
Been growing milkweed in my wildflowers for 10 years. Finally this summer my reward! Monarch caterpillars!
submitted by /u/thomash69 to r/interestingasfuck [link] [comments]
reddit.com thomash69 Jan 14, 2021