Description
Asclepias incarnata
CT DR RG P
Soil: Slightly acidic to Neutral
Moisture: Average to Wet
Light: Full Sun
Plant Height: 3 to 5 feet
Plant Width: 2 to 3 feet
Pests: None
Landscape Value: Good for low spots and other moist areas, rain gardens, butterfly gardens, sunny borders, and along streams and ponds. Makes a good cut flower.
A pollinator magnet! Clump-forming perennial with branched stems bearing narrow, willow-like leaves. Plants are topped with tight clusters of fragrant pink to mauve flowers that bloom June to July. Flowers are followed by seed pods that split open when ripe releasing silky-haired seeds that are wind-dispersed. Plants have deep tap-roots and are best left undisturbed once established. Research indicates that, in gardens, Swamp Milkweed is best planted along perimeter and separate from other plants to increase visibility and accessibility to pollinators. Tolerates clay soil. Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees and beneficial insects that prey on pest insects. Larval host to Monarch and Queen butterflies and Milkweed Tussock moths.
Landscape plugs, 2″ wide by 5″ deep, sold in quantity 5 or 10
Photo credits:
Missouri Botanical Garden
MonarchWatch.org