Swamp Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata Common Names: Swamp Milkweed, Pink Milkweed Swamp Milkweed typically grows in swamps, river bottomlands, and wet meadows. It usually reaches heights of 3 to 4 feet on branching stems and produces small, fragrant clustering flowers that range in color from pink to mauve. After flowering, the plant develops seed pods that split open when ripe, dispersing silky-haired seeds on the wind. Swamp Milkweed serves as a nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds, and provides food for the larval stage of monarch butterflies. When the stems are cut, they release a milky sap that is toxic if ingested.  These plants can thrive in medium to wet soils when grown in full sun. Surprisingly, they also tolerate average, well-drained soils in cultivation, despite their native habitats being swamps and wet meadows. Since swamp milkweeds have deep taproots, it is advisable to leave them undisturbed once established. Foliage emerges slowly in the spring.   BONAP MAPHeight: 3’-4’Spread