Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'
Cinderella Swamp Milkweed
- Family
- Apocynaceae
- Height
- 3 to 5 feet
- Width
- 1 to 3 feet
- Flower color
- Vanilla-scented, rose-pink flowers in large, compact clusters
- Foliage color
- Narrow, green leaves with lighter veins
- Bloom time
- Mid-summer to early fall
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Prefers moist to wet soils
- Maintenance
- Low; deadheading can encourage a second bloom cycle
- Growing zone
- USDA Zones 3 to 9
- Wildlife
- Attracts bees, butterflies (including monarchs), hummingbirds, and other pollinators
About this plant
Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella' is a cultivated variety of the native Swamp Milkweed. Blooming from mid to late summer, it produces clusters of rosy-pink flowers with delicate white centers, each small bloom forming part of a larger, rounded umbel. These fragrant flowers are rich in nectar, making them highly attractive to pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Compared to the species, 'Cinderella' offers a more compact and uniform growth habit, with larger, more abundant flower clusters. It retains all the wildlife-friendly qualities of its parent plant, serving as both a nectar source for adult butterflies and a host plant for monarch caterpillars. The combination of showy, colorful blooms and ecological benefits makes 'Cinderella' a standout addition to pollinator gardens and naturalistic landscapes.
Works well in
Borders · Sun Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Hummingbird Gardens · Rain Gardens
Companion plants
Coneflowers · Salvias · Shasta daisies · Asters · Catmint · Coreopsis
Design tip
Fall bloom is its strength, and it earns a place near a path or seating area used late in the year. In full sun it holds its shape best, and grouping several together keeps the color strong enough to be seen from across the garden.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
