Swamp Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata Asclepias incarnata, commonly known as swamp milkweed, is a plant native to Texas. It typically grows in swamps, river bottomlands, and wet meadows throughout the state. This plant usually reaches heights of 3 to 4 feet on branching stems and produces small, fragrant flowers that range in color from pink to mauve. These flowers, featuring five reflexed petals and a prominent central crown, bloom in tight clusters at the ends of the stems during summer, though some may be white. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves taper to a point and measure 3 to 6 inches long. When the stems are cut, they release a toxic milky sap. After flowering, the plant develops attractive seed pods that split open when ripe, dispersing silky-haired seeds carried effortlessly by the wind. Swamp milkweed serves as a nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds and provides food for the larval stage of monarch butterflies. These plants can thrive in medium to wet soils when grown in full sun. Surp