Has hairy stems and narrow, oval leaves that taper to a point, 5–12 cm long and 2–3 cm wide. When seedpods mature, they crack open to reveal large clusters of small brown-black seeds with white, silky tufts that are transported by wind. Growing Conditions: Needs sunlight, drought tolerant, dry or moist soil. Monarchs favor a variety of milkweeds, and in fact, with variety they’ll lay more eggs. Common milkweed can be quite aggressive and could overwhelm a small, tidy garden. Does not grow in areas that are typically hot and dry. Butterfly milkweed and swamp milkweed are good garden plants. This is a great article. The leaves are also longer and wider than swamp milkweed's. Leaves of Joe Pye Weed are long (<25cm), spear-shaped, dark green and coarsely-serrated, growing in whorls of 3-4 from a central stem. Here is a great write-up from Wild Ones that focuses on the most popular milkweed plants in our area (most popular with us as gardeners/habitat stewards and with the Monarchs :):. Grey-green oval leaves taper to a point, are 6-12 cm in length. Frequently encountered types of milkweed found in Canada. Plant Size: 1-2 ft (30-60 cm) Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) The stems/leaves do not release the milky-white sap characteristic of milkweed. The attractive pink and sometimes rose-purple flowers mature in mid-spring and persist into early fall. I’m also wondering if butterflies will find it, … A cousin of the better-known common milkweed, swamp milkweed is an attractive flowering perennial that is native to the swamps and other wet areas of North America.Keep reading to learn more swamp milkweed info, including swamp milkweed benefits and tips for growing swamp milkweed in your landscape. Round clusters of light pink flowers grow near top of plant. At least 70% of those are found feeding on the Tropical Milkweed, not the Pennsylvania native Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), or Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa). It may have “weed” in the name, but there are over 100 species of milkweed … Easily distinguished from other milkweed species by its large clusters of bright orange (or orangey-yellow) flowers that bloom from late spring to early fall. Some may have escaped from home gardens. Can you recommend a variety of milkweed that starts to germinate in early spring. White swamp milkweed Asclepias perennis This free-flowering native milkweed usually only grows 12-24 inches tall, continually sending up stalks topped with white blooms that often have a … Monarch caterpillars hatching from eggs laid on tall green milkweed (A. hirtella) and prairie milkweed (A. sullivantii) had the lowest survival rates. Swamp milkweed will often have multiple stems up to 2 m tall and it can have several stems coming from one single root crown (Ivey et al., 2003). For instance, plants in the milkweed family, Asclepiadaceae, (don't let the name intimidate you), secrete a milky sap (except for Butterfly Milkweed) and opposite or sometimes whorled leaves. Most easily distinguished from other milkweeds by its large loose clusters of star-shaped flowers, pink to purplish in colour. Female monarchs will lay eggs on all nine milkweed species, but they prefer some over others. External link: https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_asvi2.pdf, Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata). These plants are related to sunflowers, but from a distance, may in late summer be mistaken for swamp milkweed because of the clusters of purple-pink flowers at the top of their stems. SWAMP MILKWEED, Asclepias incarnata. SKU: prairiemilkweedplant Categories: Butterfly Host Plants, Butterfly Nectar Plants, Milkweed Plants, Milkweed Plants and Seeds Tags: Container Gardening, Monarch, Perennial You may also like… Prairie Milkweed Seeds (Asclepias sullivantii) $ 4.85 – $ 32.95 However, when given a choice, their favorite milkweed by far, is the Asclepias incarnata, common name: Swamp milkweed. Hello Matt. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) This native species is found in all mainland states except Mississippi, Arizona, California, Washington, and Oregon. The flower colours may vary from near white to purplish, and are pleasant smelling. Milkweeds are different underground. This species likes dry to medium clay soil — perfect for the plains — and full to partial shade. Milkweeds exude a white, milky juice from broken or cut surfaces. Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a large perennial plant that can is. The Myths to Bust Myth #1: Milkweed is an invasive weed. Swamp Milkweed is easily distinguished from other milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) And its vanilla-scented flowers are a treat for the senses. by its erect umbels of pink flowers, tall branching habit, and relatively narrow leaves. Also Swamp Milkweeds leaves are a bit smaller, being 2.5” – 6” long and a bit narrower, as well as coming to a point instead of being rounded. Not registered? Stems smooth, tall, flexible, branching. From a distance, Joe Pye weed may be mistaken in late summer for swamp milkweed (see . Joe Pye is a beautiful, native, perennial plant with flowers that attract lots of butterflies (including adult monarchs) but its leaves are not typically used by monarchs for laying eggs. Similar in shape to roadside milkweed, Swamp milkweed ‘Cinderella’s’ deep pink flowers with white centers make it a standout in the garden. Leaves can be up to 15cm in length (but are often shorter), are much narrower (1-4cm width) than common milkweed, and taper to a sharper point. The winner is the Asclepias incarnata, common name: Swamp milkweed Swamp Milkweed is a native perennial of the eastern and central United States and southern Canada (Manitoba, Quebec, and Nova Scotia). There is a slight reddish tinge to the vein that runs through the middle of the leaf, dividing it in two. Sap milky latex. After blooming, seed pods develop, between 6-12cm in length, with prickly exteriors. Decision Science, Maryland. Can grow in a variety of habitats, but most often found where water is regularly available, such as along streams and rivers, or near depressions where water collects. Lost your password? Despite the common name, this species thrives in less moist soils. Common milkweed exists over much of the United States, while butterfly weed grows mainly east of the Rocky Mountains. The sap several contains toxic chemical compounds. The Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) also performs well, but the butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) was a little trickier to grow. Swamp milkweed is a perennial herb. Common milkweed has purplish flowers, with the blooms of butterfly weed orange or red, the only kind of milkweed that showcases these colors.Common milkweed has a milky sap like most types of milkweeds, an aspect of the plant that gives milkweeds their name. Description: Grows up to 2.5m tall, most often found in sunny open areas, such as pastures, meadows, roadsides. Get a new one. Seed pods have a smooth exterior texture (unlike common milkweed) and ripen in fall to reveal small seeds with white silk attachments common to all milkweeds. This is a moderate spreader in loamy soils (slower in clay) with different-colored flowers. Asclepias syriaca, commonly called common milkweed, butterfly flower, silkweed, silky swallow-wort, and Virginia silkweed, is a species of flowering plant.It is in the genus Asclepias, the milkweeds.It is native to southern Canada and much of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, excluding the drier parts of the prairies. Dwarf milkweed (Asclepias ovalifolia). Also, Joe Pye Weed grows in moist soils and is often found growing in the same areas as milkweeds. Flowers are pinkish-purple, pleasant smelling, highly attractive to many species of insects. Common milkweed (Asclepias speciosa, zones 3 to 9). swamp milkweed This plant can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below.This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. A close relative to the common milkweed, swamp milkweed (Asclepia incarnata) is also known as rose milkweed, rose milkflower, swamp silkweed, and white Indian hemp. +1 (703) 777-2575 • Contact Us, Young Monitors Take On Old Bluebird Trail, Birding Off the Beaten Path: A Journey of Discovery to Olde Izaak Walton Park, LWC Commemorates 25-Year Partnership With Dulles Greenway, Teamwork Makes Church’s Public Space A Wildlife Habitat, Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship. In this paper, female monarch butterflies infected with OE parasites preferentially deposited their eggs on tropical milkweed vs Swamp milkweed. Create an account now. The sap is clear, which is unique among the ma… Develops pods of small seeds with silk attachments common to all milkweeds, but sap is clear, not milky white as in other species. Most often found growing in full sun or partial shade in moist or damp soils, such as along lakes, rivers, swamps, or drainage ditches. Description: Grows up to 1.5m tall, though height can vary considerably. It is found in the western half of the US and up into Canada. Unlike common milkweed, the central stem may branch. This year I planted both swamp and common milkweed from seeds (winter sown) and both are doing great in my garden so far (zone 6b). Both narrow-leafed (whorled) and broad-leafed species exist; the … The name “milkweed” comes from its white, milky sap. Growing 3′ to 4′ tall, it blooms all summer with regular deadheading. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and common milkweed (A. syriaca) averaged the highest number of eggs. Monarch’s Favorite Milkweed. It grows in sandy soils as well as other … Different milkweeds (Asclepias) have slightly different flowers, though they have many similarities.But there are more prominent differences below … The tropical milkweed monarch larvae ended up with lower parasite loads! Other milkweed species are occasionally encountered in Canada, typically ones that are more common in the US. http://www.arkive.org/dwarf-milkweed/asclepias-ovalifolia/, https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_asvi2.pdf, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=asve, Common milkweed = Robert McLeman; Diana Troya/Ontario Nature, Swamp milkweed = S & A Wasowski/Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; Liz Wylie, Butterfly weed = both images UMass Amherst Extension program, Showy milkweed = J. Hixson, Fran Cox/Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It can be found along shores – especially gravelly ones, streams, and swamps. Stems and leaves release a milky-white sap when broken. This is my first try with milkweed, is there any chance that they will bloom? 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