Eastern Swamp Milkweed is a native wildflower found in bogs, marshes and other wet sites. It can be found on the coast, Piedmont and mountain areas of NC. It is similar to A. incarnata but can be distinguished by its broader leaves, bushier appearance, and deeper bloom color (though it can be highly variable). It grows 2-4 feet high and the 5-inch seed pods persist into winter. It was chosen as the 2005 NC Wildflower of the Year. Although it naturally grows along ponds, streams, swamps and bogs, this plant will do well in low lying areas of the garden that retain moisture. It is tolerant of clay soils and will grow in full sun to partial shade. It is pollinated by bees and is a host plant for the monarch butterfly. Use in a native/pollinator garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant disease problems. Most common milkweed pests (aphids, milkweed beetles, Monarch larvae, and milkweed tussock moth larvae) are not problematic, but both large and small milkweed bugs can be very damaging to seed pods. More information on Asclepias incarnata .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Simple, opposite green lance-shaped leaves with fine hairs. The base is rounded to subcordate, apex acute to short-acuminate.
Flower color
Pink
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Pink to rose-pink fragrant flowers in terminal clusters bloom from July to September. The corolla lobes are reflexed and corona horns are longer than the hoods and incurved.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Follicle
Fruit size
> 3 inches long
Fruit detail
5-inch long brown seed pods from August to October and can last into winter. Seeds have silky white tufts and are dispersed by the wind.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Green branched stems with fine hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Nova Scotia, Central and Eastern U.S.A.
Distribution
CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , MA , MD , ME , MI , NC , NH , NJ , NY , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WV
Milkweed Bug; Aphids on Ornamental Landscape Plants
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Heat; Humidity; Wet Soil
Particularly resistant to
Deer and rabbit resistant
Poison severity
Low
Poison symptoms
Can cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, lethargy, and confusion if eaten in quantity. Milky sap can cause contact dermatitis and eye irritation.