Milkweed, Soulmate

Asclepias incarnata, commonly called swamp milkweed, is an erect, clump-forming plant which is commonly found in swamps, river bottomlands and wet meadows. It typically grows 3-4' tall on branching stems. Small, fragrant, white flowers (1/4" wide), each with five reflexed petals and an elevated central crown, appear in tight clusters (umbels) at the stem ends in summer. Narrow, lance-shaped, taper-pointed leaves are 3-6" long. Stems exude a toxic milky sap when cut. Flowers are followed by attractive seed pods (to 4" long) which split open when ripe releasing silky-haired seeds easily carried by the wind. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds as a nectar source. In addition, swamp milkweed is a food source for the larval stage of monarch butterflies.