FNPS Plant Database

Asclepias perennis

aquatic milkweed, swamp milkweed
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

aquatic milkweed, swamp milkweed

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Asclepias perennis

Family:

Apocynaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

1-3 ft tall by 1 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms periodically from spring to fall. Survives shade but blooms better in part-to-full sun.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Small specimen plant in wet areas.  Does well in bog gardens and rain gardens or bioswales.

Considerations:

Toxic.

Availability:

Big Box Stores, Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Stays wet -to- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam, Organic

Soil pH:

adaptable

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars

Larval host to the monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus ), queen butterfly ( Danaus gilippus ), and soldier butterfly, ( Danaus eresimus ).





Attracts various pollinators including butterflies and bees.

Native Habitats:

Marshes, swamps

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Minno, Marc and Maria Minno.  1999.  Florida butterfly gardening.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville.



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Tras, Pamela. 2001.  Gardening for Florida's butterflies.  Great Outdoors Publishing, St. Petersburg, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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