Description

Plant these for the monarch butterflies!

*Please note: Asclepias species are slow to emerge in the spring.  If your order contains any of milkweeds, your order may be delayed until late May to early June, depending on the weather and this year’s germination rates.*

Key information:

Soil: Hydric (Wet) – Mesic (Medium)
Sun: Full Sun
Height: 3-4 feet
Color: Pink
Blooms: July

More Details:

Suggested Uses: Swamp Milkweed prefers moist conditions and is great for wetland edges, shoreline restorations and rain gardens. It can be found in calcareous fens. View the full Monarch life cycle on Swamp Milkweed! This is a great plant for a learning garden and flowers are lusciously fragrant.

Native Range: Native throughout much of the U.S., especially New England and the Midwest. Native throughout the state of Minnesota.

Pollinators: An EXCELLENT pollinator plant. Monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed species (Asclepias). Swamp Milkweed is one of the main food sources for the larval stage of the Monarch butterfly. Also attracts bumblebees, honeybees, swallowtail butterflies, fritillaries, skippers, hummingbirds and so many more. An excellent plant for the federally endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis).

Flowers: The 1/4″ flowers have 5 recurved petals around a central crown. They grow in clusters 2-3″ wide.

Leaves: The narrow, lance-shaped, opposite leaves are 4″ long.

Name: The name Asclepias is from the name of the Greek god of medicine, Asklepios.

Other Names: Red Milkweed

More information: USDA Plant profile