Comments: Swamp Milkweed is a beautiful native that is becoming more widely used with the increased popularity of butterfly gardens. I'm also seeing it used quite a lot in late summer bouquets. It is a beautiful shade of dusky pink and holds its blooms for a good 3 to 4 weeks. In the wild, it is found in wet, low lying areas but it will do well in just about any decent garden soil that is not droughty. It will grow it full sun or light shade. New plants should be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart.
Like most members of the milkweed (Asclepias) family, it has a deep, tap-rooted habit and prefers to be left undisturbed. And like its relative, the common milkweed, it is a prized food of monarch butterflies. An individual plant is likely to die out in 5 or so years but is likely to leave lots of seedlings over that time; learn to recognize them and leave some to develop. Swamp Milkweed is an excellent choice for naturalizing - particularly in moist areas. |
