Good evening Bridgette,

Thank you for your question! If there is no scientific name anywhere on the tag (for example, Asclepias syriaca, which is the scientific name for common milkweed), you can put the pot in the ground for the winter & when it blooms next summer, send us a picture so we can identify the variety for you.

If it is common milkweed the plant also sends out rhizomes. So, deadheading helps but the rhizomes will spread. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asclepias-syriaca/

Better choices would be butterfly weed A. tuberose and swamp milkweed (if you have a moist site since that is what it needs), A. incarnata. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asclepias-incarnata/

For the fennel, since we are in a cold weather climate, it won’t reseed much. You can control it by deadheading the flowers. I’ve included a link with more information.

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/fennel-foeniculum-vulgare/

Have a great evening,