The Magical Swamp Milkweed

Named after the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius, the Asclepias incarnata, more commonly known as the swamp milkweed, is a very important plant in local ecosystems. These plants are tall, flowering perennials with petals ranging in color from bright pink to a deep mauve.

Milkweed plants are known for their importance in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, a species recently declared endangered. These bright orange and black insects are renowned for their lengthy migration and their strict diet of milkweed leaves. The swamp milkweed is no exception to this. Monarch butterflies use the swamp milkweed as an anchor for their eggs, which, upon hatching into caterpillars, will feed exclusively on the milkweed's leaves.

Swamp milkweed is the perfect addition to your garden. The plant, although carrying "weed" in its name, is native to North America, and helps support and attract a wide variety of essential pollinators. With the decline we've seen in pollinators over the year, ranging from the ever important honeybee to the beautiful butterfly, attracting and maintaining the populations of our pollinators is more crucial than ever. Milkweed works to build strong biodiversity, so adding it to your garden could make a big change!

The swamp milkweed isn't only good for pollinators, though. It also serves as a natural deterrent for some pests! Milkweed plants attract insects like wasps, flies and predatory bugs that help suppress pest insects like aphids and stink bugs. Consider using swamp milkweed as an alternative to chemical pesticides that harm the environment!

Another interesting aspect of the swamp milkweed is their seed pods. The silk-like material found within milkweed pods can be used to assist in absorbing contaminants in the environment, namely oil from oil spills.

Look around your nearby park or nature trail along streams and ponds for the pink swamp milkweed in mid to late summer. Personally, I enjoy taking a camera to some of the inhabitants that use these great plants as homes and food sources. The variety of life found around the swamp milkweed is something that never ceases to amaze me.