Swamp Milkweed – Wild Weeds

Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month

Swamp Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata
Swamp milkweed with Monarch caterpillar. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Anderson, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
Swamp milkweed with Monarch caterpillar. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Anderson, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.

Swamp Milkweed can reach heights of 2-4 feet and has large bright terminal blossoms. This native perennial flower is made up of small, rose-purple flowers that are clustered at the top of tall, branching stem. Leaves are opposite and narrow, similar to presentation in other milkweeds that we often see in landscape beds. Like other milkweed species, Asclepias incarnata has a milky sap present, this genus (Asclepias) was named in honor of the Greek god of medicine, Aesculapius because of its long history in treating ailments.

This plant loves moisture and will seek out sunny openings of swamps, marches, bogs, and open areas along stream banks and ditches. Similar to other milkweed varieties, the Swamp Milkweed is an important food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars.

Learn more about the plant characteristics here: https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/asclepias_incarnata.shtml

Check out other Wild Weeds Here: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/bakerco/tag/wild-weeds/

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Posted: July 1, 2021


Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Forests, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Natural Resources, NFLAG, Wild Weeds


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