Zone 9 · winter lows 20°F to 30°F
Asclepias for Zone 9
12 Asclepias varieties rated hardy through Zone 9, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 9 is nearly year-round growing — heat tolerance matters more than cold.
The Asclepias that thrive in Zone 9
#1 most savedButterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
#2 most savedButterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies Mix'
#3 most savedButterfly Weed Gay Butterflies Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies'

Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'

Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias x hybrida

Cinderella Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'

Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca

Swamp Milkweed Ice Ballet
Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet'

narrowleaf milkweed
Asclepias fascicularis

Whorled Milkweed
Asclepias verticillata

Pineneedle Milkweed
Asclepias linaria

Family Jewels Milkweed
Asclepias physocarpa 'Family Jewels Tree'
Asclepias in Zone 9
Will Asclepias survive a Zone 9 winter?
12 of the 14 Asclepias varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 9, where winter lows reach 20°F to 30°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.
When should I plant Asclepias in Zone 9?
In Zone 9 the last spring frost typically lands around late February and the first fall frost around early December. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.
Which Asclepias is best for Zone 9?
Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.
