Appreciative of damp locations, swamp milkweed plants will increase in size by sending out underground stems, called rhizomes, which produce clumps of plants. The rhizomes do not spread far, resulting in a garden plant that is thick and eye-catching to butterflies as well as other pollinators.

Importance as a caterpillar food source: Like all milkweeds, swamp milkweed is an important food source for Monarch caterpillars.

Importance as a butterfly nectar source: Once established in the garden, swamp milkweed plants will produce a large number of showy blooms per plant that are attractive to a variety of butterflies. The large number of blooms per plant make swamp milkweed an essential butterfly garden plant.

The current rating for swamp milkweed is:

If you have experience growing swamp milkweed, we would like your opinion. Let us know how it performed in your butterfly garden. Your comments will help other butterfly gardeners in your region to create better butterfly gardens: