Asclepias speciosa - SHOWY MILKWEED
Showy Milkweed is a striking perennial wildflower native to North America. Its large, fragrant, pinkish-purple blooms make it one of the most attractive milkweed species for pollinators, particularly monarch butterflies. Adapted to a wide range of conditions, it thrives in dry meadows, roadsides, and open fields, providing both beauty and ecological benefits to any landscape. Like other milkweeds, it serves as a host plant for monarch caterpillars, making it a vital species for butterfly conservation. Pack of 30 seeds.
Details
Common Names: Showy Milkweed, American Silkweed, Jewelweed, Silken Cissy, Silkweed, Swallow Wort, White Indian Hemp
Botanical Name: Asclepias speciosa
Name Meaning:
- Asclepias: Honors Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, due to the plant's medicinal history.
- speciosa: Latin "showy" or "beautiful," describing the plant's large, showy flower clusters.
Native Range: North America (prairies, savannas, roadsides, and meadows of the western half of North America)
Plant Family: Apocynaceae (dogbanes)
Grow Zone (Hardiness): 3 - 9 (-40°F) Find my zone
Bloom: Large clusters of pink to pinkish-purple flowers are produced from late spring through summer, followed by large, fuzzy seed pods.
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining
Water: Medium to moist
Growth Rate/Habit: Medium-fast/Stout, upright
Mature Size: 1 - 3 ft. tall x 1 - 2 ft. wide
We recommend planting these in our Cactus/Succulent Soil.
Which milkweeds need cold/wet stratification?
Caution:
- Sap: Handle with care as the milky sap can be a skin irritant.
- Toxicity: The plant is toxic if ingested by pets and humans.
Photo 1 by peganum; photo 2 by Andrey Zharkikh.