Red Milkweed is a native herbaceous perennial wildflower found in the sandhills, swampy areas, and wet pine savannas from New Jersey south to Florida and west to Teas. It is found in the sandhills of North Carolina. The plant will grow 2 to 3 feet tall in full sun to partial shade in consistently moist to wet acidic soil. Propagation is by seeds. To save seed, be sure to collect the pod before it splits, as the seeds can blow away. The pink to light purple clusters of star-shaped flowers appear atop stems in June and July, attracting many pollinators. The plant is a host for the monarch butterfly larvae. Flowers are followed by seed pods that split open to reveal seeds with silky white hairs that are carried by the wind. The stem oozes a milky latex sap, which may cause an allergic reaction in some individuals; therefore, wear gloves when handling. Use this plant in bog gardens or other moist to wet sites as along a stream or pond or in rain gardens. 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.
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
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 10 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Green leaves are opposite, ovate or lanceolate, sessile or nearly so with heart-shaped or rounded base and pointed tip. 2-6 inches long. Hairs along the margins.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme; Umbel
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small pink to lavender tubular flowers in terminal and axillary clusters from June to July
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Follicle
Fruit value
Good Dried
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
3-5 inch long smooth seed pods that split when mature having many seeds with silky hairs to disperse on the wind. Displays from July to September
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stem oozes a milky sap when broken
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
USA
Distribution
AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , LA , MD , MS , NC , NJ , NY , PA , SC , TX , VA
Wildlife value
Monarch butterfly host plant. Flowers attract bees and other pollinators.
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Wet Soil
Propagation
Seed
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.