Milkweed not blooming

I have several milkweed plants, of the common variety, that are on the sunny south side and have grown well, to about 4′ in height. I planted these to attract and support monarchs. However, they have had NO flowers. This is their second season in this site. They typically grow tall and leggy and then begin to flop over if not staked.

I have never seen a butterfly on these, probably because they aren’t flowering. Could you please offer some suggestions to encourage them to bloom? They take up a big space in my bed and I can’t keep them if they don’t help the butterflies.

Posting a pic.

Thank you!

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1 Comment To "Milkweed not blooming"

#1 Comment By Alisma On 08/14/2016 @ 9:03 pm

I’m not sure about milkweed in particular, but many plants will not flower if there are high levels of nitrogen in soil. Your garden soil may be too “rich” for them. Try growing them in an unfertilized patch of your yard or in an area where no compost or fertilizer has been applied for several years.

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