Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) - 20 Seeds •Non-GMO •American grown seeds •Bee Friendly •Butterfly Friendly •Hummingbird Friendly •Deer resistant Description: A popular native wildflower in western North America, Showy Milkweed commonly occurs on rocky slopes, woodland areas, and streams. The abundant nectar of milkweed flowers attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, honey bees, native bees, and other beneficial insects. Accordingly, this is a wonderful horticultural plant for butterfly gardens, borders, meadows, or native plant landscaping. Milkweed plants are the only larval host for monarch butterflies. It is important to have large, dense clumps of milkweeds for monarch caterpillars. Monarch, queen and viceroy butterflies get chemicals from the milkweed plant that make them distasteful to predators, and all have similar orange and black patterns to warn predators Medicinal Uses: The sap of showy milkweed was used by some desert tribes to heal sores and cuts, and to cure warts and ringworm. The ripe seeds were ground and made into a salve for sores. Seeds were boiled and the liquid used to draw the venom from rattlesnake bites. Tea made from the rhizomes was a remedy for measles or coughs. It was also used as a wash to cure rheumatism. The rhizomes, mashed with water, were used as a poultice to reduce swelling. That said, the sap is mildly toxic, so be sure to consult a trained herbalist. Planting Instructions: In late fall, direct sow Showy Milkweed seeds just below the surface. Germination will take place in the spring after the last frost. When the seedlings appear, think to the strongest plant per grouping. Seedlings usually do not survive transplanting since the resent any disturbance of their roots. For spring planting, mix the seeds with moist sands and refrigerate for 30 days before direct sowing to break the dormancy of the seeds. Young plants should be watered until they become established. Mature plants can tolerate some drought, but grow best with regular watering. Though not invasive, this plant will eventually spread and form colonies in the wild. It will self seed if left to drop seeds.