Swamp Milkweed
Common Name:
Swamp Milkweed
Botanical Name:
Asclepias incarnata
Mature Size:
3 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Soil Type:
Clay, loam
Soil pH:
Acid, alkaline, neutral
Bloom Time:
Mid to late summer
Flower Color:
Soft mauve to pink to reddish-violet, white
Care:
The swamp milkweed is a fantastic addition to a native garden. This low maintenance perennial is ideal for sunny borders, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens, and along the edges of ponds and streams. The deep taproots should be left undisturbed once the plant is established.
Soil:
While common milkweed is able to grow in average well-drained soil, swamp milkweed thrives in moist, medium to wet clay soil. The plant can do well in average garden soil if it does not dry out. Wet meadows or rain gardens offer ideal conditions.
Water:
Keep this plant moist. If given a proper wetland environment, the swamp milkweed will likely not need watering throughout the growing season.
Pruning:
Swamp milkweed does not need any pruning during the growing season. After the plant has died back in the winter, you can remove the dead stalk, just make sure to mark the location, as swamp milkweed is slow to emerge in the spring.
Overwintering:
Swamp milkweed that has been planted in the ground is winter hardy to USDA zone 3 and does not need any protection. When grown in containers, on the other hand, the roots are vulnerable to cold damage in freezing temperatures. Place the container in an insulating silo, or cover it with burlap and bubble wrap.