Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) is a top butterfly garden plant and host plant for the Monarch butterfly. It's only one of the Asclepias that can be grown in a midwestern garden. It's very easy to grow, hardy to zone 3 and native in all but 7 states. It's a neat, attractive, bush-like plant loaded with fragrant, attractive rose pink flowers and a favorite nectar plant of many insects. It blooms from June to August and thrives in sun to partial sun. You can start this plant from seed but you need to refrigerate the seeds for 1 month or plant in your garden in the fall. This perennial takes a while to mature into a full grown plant. Swamp milkweed can be transplanted while other forms of this plant have a taproot that cannot be disturbed after the plant reaches maturity. This photo was taken in our backyard where we have both the yellow and rose milkweed growing.
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