# Aquatic Milkweed (*Asclepias perennis*) Aquatic Milkweed is a beautiful plant that grows near water. It has lovely flowers that attract butterflies and bees, making it a special part of nature's garden. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Aquatic Milkweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Coastal_Georgia_Botanical_Gardens%252C_Swamp_Milkweed_Asclepias_perennis.jpg&width=800) Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coastal_Georgia_Botanical_Gardens%252C_Swamp_Milkweed_Asclepias_perennis.jpg) ## Appearance The Aquatic Milkweed has slender, often reddish stems and glossy, lance-shaped leaves that can float or be partially submerged. It boasts delicate clusters of small, star-like white to pale pink flowers that grow in the leaf axils. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Gentianales - **Family:** Apocynaceae - **Genus:** Asclepias ## Interesting facts - Despite its name, it can also grow in damp soil, not just water! - Its roots can survive being completely underwater for long periods! - Its tiny flowers are a sweet treat for many busy bees and butterflies! - Monarch butterfly caterpillars \*love\* to munch on its leaves for food! ## Special abilities - **Water Resilience:** Aquatic Milkweed can thrive in saturated soils and shallow water, allowing it to colonize unique wetland habitats. - **Sticky Defense:** Aquatic Milkweed has a milky, latex sap that deters most herbivores, protecting its leaves from being eaten. - **Watery Travels:** Aquatic Milkweed's seeds have silky hairs that help them float, enabling water currents to carry them to new locations. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 15-45 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Its caterpillars feed on the leaves. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Adults collect nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Pollinators for its small flowers. - **Shelter:** [Southern Leopard Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-leopard-frog) (*Rana sphenocephala*) — Its dense growth offers cover in wetlands. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Aquatic Milkweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Aquatic Milkweed? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Aquatic Milkweed spread? 15-45 cm ### How big are the flowers on Aquatic Milkweed? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Aquatic Milkweed bloom? Late spring to late summer ### Is Aquatic Milkweed edible? No ### Is Aquatic Milkweed toxic? Moderate ### What is Aquatic Milkweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Dewey W. Wills Wildlife Management Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dewey-w-wills-wildlife-management-area) — Louisiana, US · Nature Reserve - [Clover Bend Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clover-bend-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Goethe State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/goethe-state-forest) — Florida, US · Forest [View all places to see Aquatic Milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/aquatic-milkweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Aquatic Milkweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/aquatic-milkweed)