How to prune showy milkweed

Deadhead after flowering; cut back in late winter; optional Chelsea chop in early June. Remove spent flower clusters by cutting to a lateral shoot. For the seasonal cutback, cut all stems to ground level in late winter. For Chelsea chop, cut stems by half in early June to stagger bloom times across a planting. Wear gloves.

Deadhead as blooms fade; hard cutback once annually. Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) is a vigorous native that spreads by rhizome. Deadhead spent flowers to reduce aggressive self-seeding. Cut stems back to the ground in late winter before spring emergence. You can also cut back by half in early summer (Chelsea chop style) to delay flowering and create a longer season.

Remove spent flower clusters by cutting to a lateral shoot. For the seasonal cutback, cut all stems to ground level in late winter. For Chelsea chop, cut stems by half in early June to stagger bloom times across a planting. Wear gloves.