Milkweed Vine, for Those of Us Who Have Trouble Growing Other Milkweeds

Climbing Milkweed Vine (Funastrum cynanchoides)

This plant is a fast-growing native perennial vine that can grow up to twenty feet with many tendrils. It dies down to the ground in the winter and comes back in spring with renewed vigor and strength.

I was thrilled to find this vine because I have great hopes of being able to provide the Monarch and Queen butterflies with all of the milkweed they might want and need.

So far I haven’t found eggs on it yet, but I did find two Queen caterpillars on it, munching happily away, and I have fed the leaves to the caterpillars I have raised.
They have eaten it just fine and have gone on to pupate and become beautiful, healthy butterflies with no problems whatsoever.

The flowers on my plants are white, although there can be some variation in the color, with some having a purplish tint. The structure of the flowers is the same as all milkweed blooms and is very pretty.

It is easy to propagate cuttings in water and soil. I have great hopes for this plant being able to keep our butterfly gardens supplied with milkweed all season long.

This is a wonderful alternative for those of us who have trouble growing other native milkweeds.