Growing Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata

Fill your summer garden with fragrant reddish pink flowers, butterflies, bees and hummingbirds with the help of swamp milkweed.

Also known as red or pink milkweed, this is another host plant for the monarch caterpillar that I find less aggressive than the common milkweed. It grows best in full sun with moist soil. It is adaptable, tolerating moist to wet conditions and even well drained soil once established.

This adaptability makes it suitable for rain gardens, low spots, and moist areas in the landscape. Swamp milkweed also makes a nice addition to sunny mixed borders, natural gardens, and pond side plantings. And best of all, the deer tend to leave it be.

Hardy in zones 3 to 9, plants grow 3- to 5-feet tall in upright clumps. The flowers are followed by narrow pods that release silky-haired seeds like other milkweeds.

A bit more information: Just remove the pods before they open if you want to prevent swamp milkweed from spreading to other areas.