Asclepias incarnata
(Swamp Milkweed)
Common Name, Latin Name, and Family
Swamp milkweed, pink milkweed and rose milkweed.
Its Latin name is Asclepias incarnata.
Swamp milkweed is in the Apocynaceae, or dogbane, family.
Form
Swamp milkweed is a perennial wildflower that grows to a height of about 3 feet.
Leaves
The leaves are opposite with entire margins. They are stalked and are oblong to linear-lanceolate in shape. If broken the leaves exude a milky sap.
Flowers
The pink flowers appear in umbels at the end of the plant stalks. Flowering occurs in the summer and fall.
Habitat
Swamp milkweed grows in moist areas such as wet woods, stream banks, lake margins, drainage ditches and wet fence rows.
Native Range
Swamp milkweed is native to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Landscape Use
In the home landscape it grows in full sun with average to moist soils. It needs a good source of sunlight in order for it to produce flowers, and constant moisture to keep it thriving.
Wildlife Uses
The flowers are a source of nectar for many insects including bees, beetles, butterflies, flies, and wasps.
The foliage, and seed pods, are larval food for the monarch, queen, and soldier butterflies.
Propagation
Can be grown easily from seed and transplanted when small.
It can also be propagated by cuttings.
Volunteers may come up in your green space if you miss the seeds and they get blown about by the wind. I would suggest growing them in a pot until they flower and then you can be sure of the species.
I have pre cold stratified (and ready to plant) seeds for sale –
Swamp Milkweed Seeds (Asclepias incarnata) ✤ 30 Cold Stratified Seeds
Check out my article about every native milkweed in Florida here!
It has every native species and a range map for each one.