(Asclepias incarnata)
Swamp Milkweed

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Alternative Names

Pink Milkweed

Description of Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), a member of the Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family), is a herbaceous perennial that has pink and whitish flowers that bloom in the late spring through to the fall.  The leaves have a toxic milky sap that makes the Monarch butterfly distasteful to predators.  More information about Swamp Milkweed can be found on this blog post.

Hosted Species

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus)

Nectar Species

This species is a nectar species for other butterflies, bees, and wasps.

Range of Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) in the United States and Canada

Habitat

Swamp milkweed grows in open wetlands such as wet meadows, swamps, and marshland.  It is native to most of North America except for the west coast.

Interesting Facts

The genus name, Asclepias, is the Greek name for the God of Medicine.  The species name, incarnata, is the Latin name for “flesh-colored.”