Milkweed in Kansas
Kansas is the crossroads of the central monarch flyway, and the Flint Hills hold the largest intact tallgrass prairie left on earth. Green antelopehorn, common, showy and Mead’s milkweed all occur, and fall migration through the state is spectacular.
The best milkweed to plant in Kansas
Native to the state, garden-worthy and useful to monarchs. Start here if you are planting rather than identifying.
All milkweed species in Kansas
| Species | Height | Flower | Bloom | Soil | Monarch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata |
3 ft–5 ft | pink, rose, white | June to September | Wet / Average | |
| Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa |
1 ft–3 ft | orange, yellow, red | May to September | Dry / Average | |
| Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa |
2 ft–5 ft | pink, rose | May to August | Average / Dry | |
| Prairie Milkweed Asclepias sullivantii |
2 ft–4 ft | pink, rose | June to July | Average / Wet | |
| Purple Milkweed Asclepias purpurascens |
2 ft–4 ft | purple, magenta | May to July | Average / Dry | |
| Antelope Horns Asclepias asperula |
1 ft–2 ft | green, cream, maroon | March to July | Dry | |
| Green Antelopehorn Asclepias viridis |
1 ft–2.5 ft | green, purple | April to July | Dry / Average | |
| Aquatic Milkweed Asclepias perennis |
1 ft–3 ft | white, pink | May to September | Wet | |
| Zizotes Milkweed Asclepias oenotheroides |
8 in–2 ft | green, cream | March to October | Dry / Average | |
| Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca |
3 ft–6 ft | pink, mauve, white | June to August | Dry / Average | |
| Whorled Milkweed Asclepias verticillata |
1 ft–2.5 ft | white, green | June to September | Dry / Average | |
| Clasping Milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis |
1.5 ft–3 ft | pink, green, mauve | May to July | Dry | |
| Green Comet Milkweed Asclepias viridiflora |
1 ft–3 ft | green | May to August | Dry | |
| Broadleaf Milkweed Asclepias latifolia |
1 ft–3 ft | green, cream | May to August | Dry | |
| Sand Milkweed Asclepias arenaria |
1 ft–2.5 ft | cream, green | June to August | Dry | |
| Plains Milkweed Asclepias pumila |
4 in–1 ft | white, cream | June to September | Dry | |
| Engelmann’s Milkweed Asclepias engelmanniana |
2 ft–5 ft | green, yellow | June to August | Dry | |
| Slimleaf Milkweed Asclepias stenophylla |
1.5 ft–3.3 ft | cream, green | June to August | Dry | |
| Tall Green Milkweed Asclepias hirtella |
2 ft–4 ft | green, white | June to August | Dry / Average | |
| Poison Milkweed Asclepias subverticillata |
1 ft–3 ft | white, green | June to September | Dry | |
| Dwarf Milkweed Asclepias involucrata |
4 in–10 in | green, cream | April to June | Dry | |
| Mead’s Milkweed Asclepias meadii |
1 ft–2 ft | green, cream | May to June | Average / Dry | |
| Woolly Milkweed Asclepias lanuginosa |
4 in–1 ft | cream, green | May to June | Dry | |
| Wheel Milkweed Asclepias uncialis |
2 in–6 in | maroon, green | April to June | Dry |
Rare or protected in part of this range: Mead’s Milkweed, Woolly Milkweed, Wheel Milkweed. Do not collect seed or plants from wild populations of these species.
Planting milkweed in Kansas
Sow seed outdoors in October to November. Winter then supplies the cold-moist stratification most milkweed seed needs, and germination happens naturally as the soil warms. If you have missed that window, chill seed in the refrigerator for 30 days and sow after your last frost. The full method is here.
Kansas spans USDA zones 5a–7a, so check the zone range on each species page before committing. Match the species to your site rather than the other way round: dry, sunny and poor suits butterfly weed and the whorled species; a damp spot suits swamp milkweed; shade suits very few milkweeds at all.
Plant at least ten stems in one group rather than scattering them, because female monarchs find dense patches far more readily. Add late-season nectar such as goldenrod and asters so the fall migratory generation has fuel as well as host plants. How to lay out a monarch garden.
Where to buy milkweed in Kansas
Start with Kansas Native Plant Society. State native plant societies run the plant sales worth going to: locally grown, untreated stock, at a few dollars a plant, sold by people who can tell you where to put it.
In Kansas
Independent Great Plains native seed company.
Elsewhere in the great plains
Independent Northern Plains native seed producer.
Family-run prairie seed producer in eastern Nebraska.
Ships to you
One of the widest milkweed seed and bare-root ranges anywhere, with germination codes listed for every species.
Long-established independent nursery specializing in Midwestern natives.
Independent seed producer supplying restoration-scale native seed by the pound.
Family-run native seed producer for the eastern and central states.
Family-run Texas seed house focused on regional ecotypes.
These favor independent nurseries and non-profits over chain garden centers, which mostly stock unlabeled tropical milkweed and often cannot tell you whether it has been treated with neonicotinoids. Search the full directory by ZIP code.
Milkweed in Kansas: common questions
What milkweed is native to Kansas?
24 milkweed species are recorded in Kansas, including Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), Prairie Milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii). The full list is on this page.
What is the best milkweed to plant in Kansas?
Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Showy Milkweed are the best combination of native, available and garden-worthy for Kansas. Swamp Milkweed is the easiest to start with.
When should I plant milkweed seed in Kansas?
Sow outdoors in October to November, so winter provides the cold stratification the seed needs. If you have missed that window, stratify seed in the refrigerator for 30 days and sow in spring after the last frost.
Does milkweed grow wild in Kansas?
Yes. 24 species occur in Kansas, typically on roadsides, field margins, prairie remnants and along watercourses. Kansas is the crossroads of the central monarch flyway, and the Flint Hills hold the largest intact tallgrass prairie left on earth.
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Milkweed USA. (2026). Milkweed in Kansas. Retrieved DATE, from https://milkweedusa.com/states/kansas/
"Milkweed in Kansas." Milkweed USA, 2026, https://milkweedusa.com/states/kansas/. Accessed DATE.
Milkweed USA. "Milkweed in Kansas." Last modified 2026-08-01. Accessed DATE. https://milkweedusa.com/states/kansas/.
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}