ExplorePlants

showy milkweed

Asclepias speciosa

Showy milkweed is a beautiful flower with bright pink blooms. It attracts butterflies and bees, making gardens lively and colorful. This plant is also important for caterpillars, especially monarchs, who love to munch on its leaves!

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The showy milkweed has stout stems and large, fuzzy blue-green leaves. Its most distinctive feature is dense, globe-like clusters of star-shaped, rose-pink to purplish flowers that stand out vividly in open spaces.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderGentianalesFamilyApocynaceaeGenusAsclepias
showy milkweed
deciduous trait badgeflowering trait badgesummer_blooming trait badgefragrant_flower trait badge
showy milkweed

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

Be the first to snap!

Interesting facts

If you break a leaf, a white, milky liquid oozes out, which is why it's called 'milkweed'!

Its seeds float on silky parachutes, traveling far on the wind to find new homes!

The scientific name, Asclepias, comes from the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius!

The special shape of its flowers can sometimes trap insect legs briefly, ensuring they take pollen!

Special abilities

Ability

Sticky Shield

Showy milkweed has milky, sticky sap that oozes out when damaged, protecting it from hungry herbivores.

Ability

Pollen Power Traps

This plant has unique flower structures that gently grasp insect legs, ensuring efficient pollen transfer.

Ability

Underground Network

Showy milkweed can spread widely using underground stems, helping it survive and colonize new areas.

Measurements & details

Height
30-150 cm
Spread
30-60 cm
Flower Size
1-2 cm
Bloom Season
Summer
Edible
No
Toxicity
Moderate
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

eaten by

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Caterpillars feed exclusively on its leaves

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen

pollinates

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Important nectar source for honey production

eats

Red Milkweed Beetle

Tetraopes tetrophthalmus

Feeds on milkweed leaves and stems

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch the plants unless a grown-up says it's okay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is showy milkweed?

30-150 cm

How wide does showy milkweed spread?

30-60 cm

How big are the flowers on showy milkweed?

1-2 cm

When does showy milkweed bloom?

Summer

Is showy milkweed edible?

No

Is showy milkweed toxic?

Moderate

What is showy milkweed's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is showy milkweed pollinated?

Insect

Snap Map

Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.

Loading map…

Recent Snaps

Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.

Where to spot

More Plants