List of New Jersey Milkweeds
New Jersey Milkweed Species to Include in your Butterfly Garden
There are twelve native species of New Jersey milkweeds (Asclepias spp.). Milkweeds are an important host species for Monarch, Queen, and Soldier Butterflies. The Monarch butterfly in particular uses the cardenolides found in the milky sap of milkweeds to give an unpleasant taste to predators. These plants are also an important nectar source to all insects visiting your pollinator garden.
1. Clasping Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis), a Milkweed for Dry Soils
Clasping Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis): Clasping milkweed is native throughout New Jersey (Kartesz 2015) and grows in dry woodlands, prairies, meadows, and roadsides that have sandy or gravelly soil.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, clasping milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9 and requires places of full sun to part shade that have dry sandy soil. Seeds of clasping milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
2. Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata), a Milkweed for Shade and Moist Soil
Poke Milkweed (Ascelpias exaltata): Poke milkweed is native throughout New Jersey, but mostly in the north, (Kartesz 2015) in moist woods, roadsides, and the edges of woods. The flowers are white to green with accents of rose, purple, or blue.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, poke milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9 and requires part-shade to shade, and moist soil. Seeds of poke milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
3. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), a Milkweed for Moist Soils
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata): Swamp milkweed has two subspecies, ssp. incarnata and ssp. pulchra. The former is native in scattered locations throughout New Jersey (hardy in zones 3-9), while the latter is found generally in the southern part of the state (hardy in zones 4-9). Like the name suggests this plant is found in wet places such as the shores of streams, lakes, ponds, and other wetlands. However, as a landscape plant it can exist in drier places. The flowers are variable and are generally a pink to red color, but there is also a white cultivar (pictured below).
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, swamp milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9 and requires full sun to part-shade and prefers moist to medium moisture soil, but can exist in drier soil as a landscape plant. Seeds of swamp milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
4. Few-flower Milkweed (Asclepias lanceolata), a Milkweeds for Moist Soils
Few-flower Milkweed (Asclepias lanceolata): Few-flower milkweed is native to southern New Jersey and is considered to be rare. It reaches the northern limit of its range in the United States in the state. This plant grows on the edges of marshes and the wet areas of pine barrens and savannas. The flowers are yellow, orange to red and bloom from May to August.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, few-flower milkweed is hardy in zones 5-11 and requires full sun to part-shade in loamy moist to wet soil.
5. Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens), a Milkweed for Moist Soils
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens): Purple milkweed is native throughout the state (Kartesz 2015). Its habitat is quite variable and can tolerate full sun to part shade and is found in swamps, woodlands, meadows, and roadsides. The flowers, as the name suggests are generally purple, but it can range from rose to pink, or may start out pink and mature to purple.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, purple milkweed is hardy in zones 3-8 and generally requires part-shade, but can handle full sun if needed. Soils should be moist and well-drained, but dry soil can be tolerated. Seeds of purple milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
6. Four-leaf Milkweed (Asclepias quadrifolia), a Milkweed for Dry Rocky Soils
Four-leaf Milkweed (Asclepias quadrifolia): Four-leaf milkweed is native throughout New Jersey except for the near coastal areas (Kartesz 2015). It grows in open areas such as roadsides, and pastures that have some disturbance. The flowers range from white to pink in color and bloom from April to July.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, four-leaf milkweed is hardy in zones 5-8 and prefers full sun or part-shade and dry rocky soils.
7. Red Milkweed (Asclepias rubra), a Milkweed for Moist to Wet Soils
Red Milkweed (Asclepias rubra): Red milkweed is native and rare in southern and central New Jersey (Kartesz 2015). It grows in wet open areas such as bogs, meadows, and pine barrens. The flower colors range from pink, purple, red to lavender and bloom from May to August.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, red milkweed is hardy in zones 6-9 and prefers full sun or part-shade and dry rocky soils.
8. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), a Milkweed for all Soils
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca): Common milkweed is located throughout New Jersey(Kartesz 2015) and is found in open areas such as fields, pastures, and roadsides, where it can receive full sun. The flowers range from pink, greenish-purple, greenish-white, to white and bloom from June to August.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, common milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9 and requires full sun to part-shade and any type of soil. Seeds of common milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
9. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), a Milkweed for all Soils
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa): Butterfly weed is one of the most common for butterfly gardeners on the east coast of the United States. In New Jersey, it occurs throughout the state. The flowers are characteristically orange and bloom throughout the summer and sometimes into the autumn. It grows in open areas with full sun such as fields, roadsides, and open woods.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, butterfly weed is hardy from zones 3-9 and requires full sun in any type of soil. Seeds of butterfly weed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
10. Red-ring Milkweed (Asclepias variegata), a Milkweed for Dry Sandy Soils
Red-Ring Milkweed (Asclepias variegata): Red-ring milkweed is considered rare and is native throughout New Jersey (Kartesz 2015). The flowers have a white color with a ring of purple to red and bloom from May to July. It grows in open disturbed areas such as thickets and roadsides.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, red-ring milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9 and prefers part-sun to light-shade and dry sandy or rocky soils. Seeds of red-ring milkweed can be purchased in the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
11. Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata), a Milkweed for Medium to Dry Soil
Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata): Whorled milkweed is native throughout New Jersey and is considered rare (Kartesz 2015). It has green to white flowers that bloom from May to September and like a lot of other milkweeds it grows in open areas such as meadows and fields, where it can take advantage of full sun.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, whorled milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9 and requires full sun and to part-shade with medium to dry soil. Seeds of whorled milkweed can be purchased at the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
12. Green Comet Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora), a Milkweed for Medium to Dry Soils
Green Comet Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora): Green comet milkweed is native generally to northern and central New Jersey (Kartesz 2015). The flowers, which bloom from June to August, begin as a green color but age to become yellow with a purple tinge. The habitat includes open areas such as meadows and field where there is full sun.
In your New Jersey butterfly garden, green comet milkweed is hardy in zones 3-9 and requires full sun and medium to dry soil. Seeds of green comet milkweed can be purchased at the McMullen House Bed & Breakfast Garden Shop.
When selecting your New Jersey milkweed, be sure to make sure that it grows in your zone and habitat.
References for New Jersey Milkweeds
- Kartesz, J.T. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. Taxonomic Data Center. Link to website. Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)]
