Red Milkweed Asclepias rubra
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Red Milkweed:
- Phonetic Spelling
- as-KLEE-pee-as ROO-brah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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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 flowers are pink to purple and occur in clusters from June to July and attract bees and butterflies. Monarch butterfly host plant.
Plant in full sun to partial shade in consistently moist to wet acidic soil. 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.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Asclepias
- Species:
- rubra
- Family:
- Apocynaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of 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.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Easy to Grow
- Textural
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 10 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- 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
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Good Dried
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 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
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small pink to lavender tubular flowers in terminal and axillary clusters from June to July
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 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.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Description:
- Stem oozes a milky sap when broken
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Pond
- Riparian
- Small Space
- Vertical Spaces
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- 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.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cardiac glycoside
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
