Red Swamp Milkweed Seeds 6985

Description

Red Swamp Milkweed Seeds 6985.

Essential Native Ontario Wetland Host Plant for Monarch Butterflies.

Red Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a gorgeous Canadian native perennial at home in moist to wet soils. Reaching impressive heights of 100 to 150 cm, it produces showy, fragrant rounded flower clusters (umbels) in mid-summer that shade from soft pink to deep mauve and purple. Beyond its ornamental beauty, it is a vital ecological host plant for the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), serving as both a nectar source for adult butterflies and an exclusive food source for emerging caterpillars.

Note: Like all milkweeds, the milky white sap contains cardiac glycosides and should not be ingested.

Quick Seed Details

• Product Code: 6985

• Botanical Name: Asclepias incarnata

• Type: Canadian Native Perennial

• Hardiness: Zone 3

• Height: 100–150 cm

• Light Requirement: Full Sun

• Soil Preference: Continually damp, moist, or wet soils

• Germination: 10–18 days (following cold stratification)

• Seed Count: Approx. 25 seeds per packet (125 seeds per gram)

What you need to know to Plant & Grow

Red Swamp Milkweed seeds possess natural dormancy and require cold stratification for optimal germination.

• Outdoor Fall Sowing (Recommended): Direct sow seed outdoors in late fall in a sunny site with moist or wet soil. Barely cover the seed with soil. Natural winter conditions will stratify the seeds, waking them from dormancy for strong spring emergence.

• Indoor Sowing (Cold Stratification Required):

  1. Start indoors in early February using a quality soilless growing medium.

  2. Barely cover the seed, as diffuse light aids germination.

  3. Place the container in a refrigerator or cold space for 3 months of cold stratification.

  4. Bring out of cold storage and maintain a temperature of 20°C for the 10 to 18 day germination period.

  5. Grow on under lights at slightly cooler temperatures before hardening off and transplanting outdoors after frost risk passes.

Why Red Swamp Milkweed Seeds belong in Your Garden

If you want to create a butterfly sanctuary, restore shoreline habitats, or add structure to damp garden beds, Red Swamp Milkweed is a must-have native perennial. Its fragrant mauve blooms and critical role in Monarch conservation make it a rewarding, ecologically high-value addition to your landscape.