Swan Plant Seeds — Asclepias fruticosa

Feed the Monarchs, Fill the Garden

The Swan Plant (Asclepias fruticosa) is a beloved New Zealand garden staple and the essential host plant for the iconic Monarch butterfly. Watch in wonder as Monarchs seek out your plant to lay their eggs, caterpillars munch their way to plumpness, and chrysalises form before your eyes — one of nature's most magical transformations, right in your own backyard.

Why Gardeners Love It

• 🦋 Essential Monarch butterfly host plant — the only food source for Monarch caterpillars in NZ
• 👶 A fantastic grow for kids — fast-growing and dramatic, with a built-in butterfly life cycle to observe up close
• 🪢 Ornamental swan-shaped seed pods — striking and decorative in the garden and in dried arrangements
• 🌸 Delicate creamy-white flowers — attractive to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects
• 🌱 Fast-growing and easy — thrives in a sunny spot with minimal care and rewards you quickly

Growing Tips for New Zealand

Sow seeds in spring once frost risk has passed, directly into a warm, sunny position with free-draining soil. Swan Plant loves heat and will establish quickly through summer. It can also be started indoors in seed trays 6–8 weeks before the last frost. Grows to around 1–2 m tall and benefits from cutting back in late winter to encourage fresh, tender growth — the preferred food for Monarch caterpillars. Particularly valuable in northern and coastal regions where Monarchs are most active.

What's in the Packet

Each packet contains 10 seeds of Swan Plant (Asclepias fruticosa).