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Key characteristics

Family: Apocynaceae
Classification: Native herbaceous perennial
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Width: 1 1/2 to 3 feet
Flower color: Dusty rose to pinkish purple
Foliage color: Gray-green
Bloom time: Late spring to summer
Light: Full sun
Water: Low to moderate, drought tolerant once established
Growing zone: USDA zones 3 to 9
Wildlife: Monarch butterflies, bees and other pollinators

Perennials

Asclepias speciosa

Showy Milkweed

Asclepias speciosa is a herbaceous perennial with rounded clusters of star-shaped flowers that open from late spring into summer. Individual blossoms are dusty rose to pinkish purple, with reflexed petals surrounding prominent pale pink hoods that give each flower a sculptural appearance. The fragrant blooms are rich in nectar and attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Broad, gray-green leaves grow in opposite pairs along sturdy upright stems, creating substantial foliage even when the plant is not flowering.

Light

Full sun

Water

Low to moderate, drought tolerant once established

Bloom time

Late spring to summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Pollinator Gardens
Native Gardens
Waterwise Gardens
Meadow Gardens
Borders

Companion plants

Oceanspray · Rabbitbrush · Yarrow · Blanket flower · Penstemon · Blue flax · Kinnikinnick

Design tip

Allow showy milkweed to form a loose colony rather than treating it as a single specimen. Give the spreading roots room to move among grasses and sturdy perennials, creating a naturalistic planting where emerging stems can shift position without disrupting a formal arrangement.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)

Planting & care

Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Water regularly while roots establish, then reduce irrigation because mature plants tolerate dry conditions. Leave room for underground rhizomes to spread and cut old stems back after dormancy.