Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Also listed as Acerates incarnata
Also known as Red Milkweed, Rose Milkweed, Swamp Silkweed
Climate Match for your location
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Swamp milkweed is a native perennial with fragrant pink or rose-colored flower clusters that attract monarch butterflies and other pollinators. It thrives in consistently moist or wet conditions and is ideal for rain gardens, wetland edges, and naturalized landscapes.
Why grow it
Swamp milkweed occupies a distinct niche among native milkweeds by thriving in consistently wet conditions where Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) and Asclepias syriaca struggle. Unlike those drier-site relatives, it adapts readily to rain gardens, pond edges, and boggy areas while still performing adequately in moist clay or loam soils. Its extended bloom period from mid-spring through early fall and deer resistance make it a reliable pollinator plant for wet-site landscapes where fewer native alternatives exist.
Watch out for
Milkweed bugs, particularly large and small species, can cause significant damage to seed pods if population control is desired. The plant's self-seeding tendency means mature seed pods will distribute winged seeds readily in favorable conditions, which may require management in smaller garden settings. Plants grown in drier soils than their native wet-site preference may develop stressed growth patterns, though they typically persist.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Apocynaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Swamp milkweed is a native perennial with fragrant pink or rose-colored flower clusters that attract monarch butterflies and other pollinators. It thrives in consistently moist or wet conditions and is ideal for rain gardens, wetland edges, and naturalized landscapes.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Swamp Milkweed grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Swamp milkweed occupies a distinct niche among native milkweeds by thriving in consistently wet conditions where Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) and Asclepias syriaca struggle. Unlike those drier-site relatives, it adapts readily to rain gardens, pond edges, and boggy areas while still performing adequately in moist clay or loam soils. Its extended bloom period from mid-spring through early fall and deer resistance make it a reliable pollinator plant for wet-site landscapes where fewer native alternatives exist.
Watch out for
Milkweed bugs, particularly large and small species, can cause significant damage to seed pods if population control is desired. The plant's self-seeding tendency means mature seed pods will distribute winged seeds readily in favorable conditions, which may require management in smaller garden settings. Plants grown in drier soils than their native wet-site preference may develop stressed growth patterns, though they typically persist.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Apocynaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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