Butterfly Weed Rose Milkweed Plant

Asclepias incarnata, commonly called swamp milkweed or rose milkweed, is an upright perennial for sunny gardens with consistently moist soil. Its summer clusters of pink to light-purple flowers stand above narrow leaves, and its pods split open in fall to release wind-dispersed seeds. ## Garden Use and Siting Plant swamp milkweed in a rain garden, wet meadow, pond edge, or a moist perennial border. It grows in full sun and tolerates some partial shade; damp, moisture-retentive soil is ideal, though established plants can also grow in mesic conditions. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reports a species range of roughly 3–6 feet tall ([USDA NRCS](https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_asin.pdf)), while the Forest Service describes the species' erect growth and typical flowering from late June or early July through August or September ([US Forest Service](https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/ascinc)). ## Flowers and Wildlife The fragrant flower clusters range from pink to light purple, with white forms also reported ([USDA NRCS](https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_asin.pdf)). Swamp milkweed supports a wide range of nectar-visiting insects, including butterflies, and its foliage is a host food for monarch and queen larvae ([USDA NRCS Plant Guide](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/mdpmcpg14980.pdf)). ## Maintenance Keep soil evenly moist during establishment and extended dry periods. Leave some mature stems and pods if you want the plant to reseed naturally; remove them where seedlings are not wanted.