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Showy Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa

Swamp or Rose Milkweed has pink to light purple summer blooms that emit a vanilla-like fragrance. They prefer medium to wet soils and partial to full sun conditions. A monarch favorite.

USDA symbol: ASSP

General Information

Plant TypeForb
Height2 to 4 feet
Light ExposureSun
Soil MoistureDry, Medium
Bloom ColorWhite, Pink
Showy Milkweed (Showy Milkweed<div><em class="small">Asclepias speciosa</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Native Landscapes (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceModerate
General Resilience7
Salt ToleranceNone
Stress ToleranceFire Tolerant

Pollinator Value: Very High

Bloom MonthsMay to September
Larval Host ofButterflies
Specific Pollinators HostedDanaus plexippus
Pollinator BenefitInsect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Stem Nesting, Supports Generalists

Project Planning

Project TypeBoulevard, Rain Garden, Shoreline Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism6
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadMedium
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyBecker, Chippewa, Clay, Cottonwood, Hennepin, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Mahnomen, McLeod, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Redwood, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Wilkin, Yellow Medicine
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands