Asclepias 'Cinderella' Milkweed

Asclepias 'Cinderella' Milkweed is a native wildflower that grows 36 to 60 inches tall and freely blooms all summer. Its tight clusters of small, nectar-rich, pink to mauve flowers emit a sweet vanilla scent that brings the hummingbirds and butterflies flocking. And its long, lush leaves are an important food source for the larval stage (caterpillars) of monarch butterflies. If you can bear to cut them, the blooms are long-lasting in fresh and dried bouquets. The elegant, end-of-season seedpods that follow the flowers are often dried for use in seasonal floral displays.

An Asclepias incarnata species, commonly called butterfly weed, milkweed, or swamp milkweed, 'Cinderella' is a cold hardy herbaceous perennial that thrives in Zones 3-9. It makes a great flowering garden border, and it's perfect for planting along stream banks or around ponds, but it can also be grown in a container. And it's an absolute must-have in a butterfly garden.

This moisture-loving native American plant grows naturally in swamps, marshes, bogs, and wet meadows. It loves full sun and thrives in medium to wet soils but grows well in average garden soil, as long as it doesn't completely dry out, especially in spring. However, once established, the plant tolerates dry conditions, and it's deer resistant.

Plant 'Cinderella' milkweed roots in the spring, spacing them 18 to 24 inches apart and 1½ to 2 inches deep. Butterfly weeds do not like to be disturbed once they have established, so choose its placement carefully.

A native plant, swamp milkweed is indigenous throughout the eastern and midwestern United States and Canada. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.

Sap may cause skin irritation.