Showy Milkweed Seeds
Showy Milkweed Seeds - Asclepias speciosa
- Hardy to Zone 3
Full Sun
- Germination Tested Not tested.
- Approximately 30-50 seeds per pack
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Milkweed is an incredible perennial vegetable and pollinator support plant, native to the Western half of Turtle Island (North America). It's drought tolerant, easy to grow, and supplies many different vegetables spring through summer.
The shoots, flower buds, flowers, and young seed pods are edible and tasty. Milkweed must be cooked before eating, although a few flowers raw are likely ok. As with any new vegetable, eat a small amount to start with, as some people seem sensitive to milkweed. Fresh plants exude a sticky milky sap, so wear gloves when harvesting.
Via Alan Bergo, the Forager Chef, here are ideas on how to eat many parts of milkweed: The young leaf shoots, and the plant tops with developing flowers buds can be blanched like asparagus, the flower buds can be steamed like broccoli, or made into capers. The opened flowers are sweet and can be infused into drinks or vinegars. The young seed pods can be blanched and/or fried. See all Alan's recommendations and recipes here.
Milkweed can be a vigorous grower and spread by rhizomes, although this species is supposed to spread less aggressively than Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed). I've heard people recommend avoiding planting it in the middle of your veggie garden.
The story of these seeds: These seeds were collected by my dear friend Jakub Amler, who I met at Ntamtqen Community Garden & Food Hub. He collected these seeds while on a hunting trip on land of the Smelqmix (Similkameen) People. Many thanks Jakub!
Photo by Justin Meissen via Wikimedia Commons.
Growing Instructions
Growing Instructions
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping & refund policies detailed on this page.
Most orders are sent via Canada Post to keep costs low.
Shipping within Canada
We ship seeds in Canada via Canada Post's regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-3 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally orders take longer, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.
Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery.
Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.
Shipping to the US
UPDATE FEB 2, 2026: WE ARE TAKING A BREAK ON ACCEPTING US ORDERS
We require all US shoppers to obtain a Small Seed Lot Import Permit before we can mail your seeds. It's free to apply, and you will likely be granted the permit instantly, although some require additional verification via mail.
We recommend obtaining a permit BEFORE placing your order.
Please email your permit and shipping label PDFs to us promptly before or after you order.
If you do not email us your permit documents after one week, we will refund your order minus a $10 processing charge.
How to apply for your Small Seed Lot Import Permit:
- Please follow these instructions carefully so you don't end up with the wrong type of permit!
- Go to https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/
- Select PPQ-587 in the dropdown menu and click "Get Started".
- Please use the exact same name and address as on your order.
- Login and follow the instructions to obtain a permit.
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Under the Commodity Type drop down, make sure you select the "Small Lots of Seed". See screenshot below.
- It's best to list "Eligible Taxa" instead of listing all the species you'd like to import so you don't need to worry about missing any species you ordered.
- Once you receive your permit, promptly email us 2 PDFs: a copy of your permit and a copy of the yellow/green shipping labels. Tell us which USDA station you want us to send the seeds to. If not mentioned we will choose one close to you. Our email is grow@cicadaseeds.ca
- Once we've accepted your documents, please contact the plant inspection station we are shipping to and let them know to expect your shipment. Station phone numbers can be found here (Scroll down to the "Contact Us" section near the bottom and select the state). This reminds stations to check for your package, otherwise they may forget about it.
What happens next?
After receiving your documentation, we will mail your seeds to an inspection facility in the US. We will ship via tracked parcel, and you will receive the tracking number when your order has shipped. Orders will be mailed first to a plant inspection facility in the US. You will receive a delivery notification to the STATION, not your address. So don't worry if your package has been "delivered" but you can't find it anywhere in your yard. The station will then inspect your seeds then forward the package to your address via regular mail without tracking available.
The mail and inspection process can take several weeks, depending on how long the inspection takes.
Unfortunately we are not able to replace seeds that are confiscated, destroyed, or returned by US customs or USPS, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order. We do our very best to follow the regulations, but occasionally USDA staff or USPS will destroy seeds without cause. We want to keep making our seeds available to the US, but to do so we must let the customer accept this risk. Thanks for your understanding.
Need help? Contact the APHIS plant permit team at:
EMAIL: plantproducts.permits@usda.gov
PHONE: 877-770-5990
Shipping Internationally
International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.
International shipping countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.
This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts.
Please reach out if your country is not on this list, email us and we will try to arrange an alternate shipping option.
Refund Policy
Refunds: We stand behind our seeds, so if for some reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to us via email and we will do our best to make it right. Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable.
Cancelled orders: If you wish to cancel an order after purchasing, we may refund your order minus card processing and admin fees at our discretion.
Refused orders: We cannot issue a refund if you refuse to accept an order we've sent to you, or made available for local pickup.
Incorrect addresses: Please double check your mailing address, and let us know ASAP if you've entered an incorrect address at checkout. We may need to charge for additional shipping fees to resend orders.
Ecologically Grown
Ecologically Grown
Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
