Virginia ecotype - Henrico County
- Duration: Perennial
- Habit: Upright, clumping, spreads only by seed
- Size: 2-5 ft. high, half as wide
- Flowering time: Jun, Jul, Aug
- Bloom color: Red, pink, rose
- Habitat: Wet meadows, prairies and fields; swamps and marshes
- Moisture: Moist to wet, boggy or well draining; does fine in average soil if established but can't tolerate drought
- Light: Full sun, part sun; best in more sun but needs more moisture
- Soils: Clay, sand, loam, gravel; adaptable
- Uses: Pollinator gardens, rain gardens, moist meadows, lake/pond or riparian areas, cottage gardens
Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed)
Swamp milkweed is a perennial native to North America, found in wet meadows, marshes, and along ponds and streams. It features clusters of fragrant, pink to rose flowers that bloom in mid to late summer, attracting an assortment of insects such as butterflies, bees, and moths.
Swamp milkweed grows 3-5 feet tall and prefers moist, well-drained soils in full sun, but will tolerate average soil so long as it doesn’t dry out completely, and receives supplemental water during the hottest months. Its strong roots help stabilize soil and manage water runoff, making it an excellent choice for pond plantings, rain gardens and wet meadows.
The plant has a white, latex-like sap and a chemical makeup that is toxic to most herbivores. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves are a food source for the endangered monarch (Danaus Plexippus) butterfly; milkweeds being the only host plant species for this well-beloved pollinator. The plant also hosts the Red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus), and Large milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), are native specialist insects which also depend on the plants and do little to no harm.
Non-aggressive clumping habit, but can spread by seed if happy in its location. Young plants may need more water as they are growing and getting established. Consider pairing with moisture loving plants such as Euthamia caroliniana, Lobelia cardinalis, Verbena hastata, Eutrochium dubium (Coastal joe-pye), and moist tolerant grasses, sedges, and rushes.