Swamp Milkweed, NJ Ecotype

Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) is an erect-growing, clump-forming perennial that typically grows to 4.9 ft. The stems of Swamp Milkweed are sparsely hairy to smooth. Leaves of Asclepias incarnata are in an opposite arrangement on the stem. Swamp Milkweed has the characteristic sticky, milky sap associated with milkweeds. Asclepias incarnata blooms in midsummer with pink and occasionally white flowers that form at the tip of the stems. When sunlight strikes the blooms of Swamp Milkweed, they emit the scent of bubblegum. Seed pods of Asclepias incarnata form in a candelabra-like arrangement. Swamp Milkweed is usually found in full sun in damp soils of wet meadows, swamps, and floodplains. Asclepias incarnata is a host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars and the species upon which we observe the most caterpillars and chrysalis in our production fields. In addition to supporting monarch caterpillars, Swamp Milkweed provides nectar for many species of native bees and butterflies. Asclepias tuberosa is a beautiful addition to rain garden, retention basin, riparian, wet meadow, and wetland mixes. Aphids can overwhelm Swamp Milkweed, so we do not recommend planting it in a monoculture. Since seed dormancy can be high for individual lots of Asclepias incarnata, we recommend three months of cold, moist stratification to break dormancy for transplant production. Swamp Milkweed is a member of the milkweed (Asclepiadaceae) family. The genus name is derived from Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine, while the species name incarnata means flesh colored.