Pink Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Pink Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a graceful, moisture-loving native perennial with soft pink flower clusters that bloom in mid to late summer. You’ll also hear it called Swamp Milkweed—not because it needs a swamp, but because it naturally grows in wetter soils compared to other milkweeds. It’s a favorite of monarchs and pollinators and grows more upright compared to common milkweed, which spreads quickly.

Plants start shipping in spring after danger of freezing and will come in small 2" plugs. 

Why Grow Pink Milkweed?

🦋 Top-Tier Pollinator Attractor
One of the best milkweeds for attracting monarchs, swallowtails, bees, and many other pollinators. 

💗 Beautiful, Subtle Blooms
Produces fragrant pink to mauve flower clusters that look right at home in pollinator gardens and mixed borders.

🌱 More Garden-Friendly Growth
Clump-forming and upright, with far less spreading than common milkweed.

Growing Information

🌱 Plant Type: Perennial flowering native
🌱 Hardiness Zones: 3–9
🌱 When to Plant: Spring after last frost or early fall
🌱 When to Harvest: Not typically harvested—grown for flowers, seed saving, and pollinator habitat

Cultivation Tips

• Soil requirements: Prefers consistently moist, well-drained soil, but adapts well to average garden soil once established. Great for rain gardens or low spots that stay damp.
• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade. 6+ hours of sun encourages the best flowering.
• Watering: Likes more water than most milkweeds. Keep evenly moist during establishment; tolerates short dry spells once mature but performs best with regular moisture.
• Pruning: Minimal pruning needed. You can cut plants back by about ⅓ in early summer to encourage bushier growth, or leave stems standing until spring for overwintering beneficial insects—avoid pruning while monarch caterpillars are present.

   

Pink milkweed emerges late in spring—mark your planting area so you don’t accidentally disturb it. Unlike butterfly milkweed, it doesn’t have a deep taproot, making plugs easy to transplant. It’s also less aggressive than common milkweed and plays nicely in garden beds.

Our plugs are nursery-grown and well-established, giving you a big head start compared to starting from seed.

Non-GMO Commitment: At The Farm on Central, all our plants are guaranteed non-GMO and not genetically modified in any way, upholding natural breeding methods and promoting sustainable gardening and farming practices.