Plants may well not bloom the initial year, but leaves will nevertheless provide a meals source for butterfly caterpillars. The blooms on the Common Milkweed plant are clusters of small flowers on stems that radiate within the much larger central stem. These clusters are referred to as umbels 4-leaved Milkweed, https://are-milkweeds-annuals-or42086.howeweb.com/31502892/the-ultimate-guide-to-is-milkweed-an-annual-or-perennial