showy milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
USDA zones3 to 9
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size1 to 3 feet tall12 to 18 inches wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Purplish rose
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) is a perennial for borders, meadows, and low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun and dry to moist soil of most types. Round clusters of fragrant, pink flowers draw butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. It sits low on the menu for deer and rabbits. It spreads by underground rhizomes, so give it room or grow it in a pot.
Pairs well with Smooth aster, Foxtail barley, and Tall sunflower.
Native range
Western North America.