The milkweed plant is a real butterfly magnet. But it is also a treat for the gardener's eye. It impresses with its shiny leaves and orange-red flowers. But will it survive the winter unscathed?
Are milkweed plants hardy?
Most milkweed species are not hardy and should be brought indoors in autumn. A few species can be partially hardy, but should be protected and covered with brushwood. They sprout again in spring.
Winter hardiness: conditionally hardy
Only a few types of milkweed are hardy. The majority of them are not prepared for winter in this country and would be damaged by frost. It is therefore advisable to only cultivate this plant as an annual or to keep it as a container plant and put it in in the fall. Some species are even suitable as houseplants all year round.
Moving plants from outside to inside
Did you have your milkweed on the terrace or balcony in summer? Then you should put them in by mid-October at the latest to protect them from frost. Bright locations are suitable for overwintering. The place should be at a temperature of 10 to 14 °C. Well suited are:
- Winter Gardens
- Stairwells
- windowed attics
- cool bedrooms
- Corridors
During the winter period, you should not neglect your milkweed plant. It is important that your root ball does not dry out. Therefore, water sparingly! It is absolutely not advisable to add fertilizer. The winter storage room can be ventilated from time to time.
Retain or protect planted specimens
If you have planted your milkweed plant in the ground directly outdoors, you don't necessarily have to say goodbye to it. You can dig up this plant in the fall, plant it in a pot and overwinter indoors.
But if you decide to overwinter the milkweed outside, please note the following:
- cut down in autumn
- Protect the root area from moisture
- feel free to cover with brushwood
- From temperatures below 10 °C, some leaves fall off
- Plant dies above ground
- new shoots in spring
Relocate from May
When the temperatures rise again in spring, you can slowly get your milkweed plant used to direct sunlight. From mid-May the plant can completely take off. It is recommended to fertilize it straight away with a good portion of compost.
Tip
Sometimes the seeds survive the winter outdoors and sow themselves. It is therefore worth not removing all of the inflorescences after the flowering period
