This plant called showy milkweed can
help you put on a show in your yard in 2 respects. The plant bears lovely
flowers that are worth growing for their own sake. Secondly, showy milkweed plant
is also a great plant for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, actually
these are wonderful creatures that put on a show of their own. Below is the
basic information about showy milkweed plant;
The botanical name: The botanical name
is Asclepias speciosa.
The common name: The common name is Showy
milkweed.
The plant type: The plant is herbaceous
perennial.
The mature size: The mature size is about 1 to
3 feet tall.
The sun exposure: The plant prefers full sun.
The soil type: The plant does well in average
fertility well-drained soil.
The soil pH: The plant is not fussy about soil
pH.
The blooming time: The blooming time is
May to June.
The flower color: The flower colors
are rosey-purple and pink.
Plant Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
The native area: The plant is native to
Western North America.
Showy milkweed care
This plant is easy to grow. Showy
milkweed tolerates drought and also soils that are low in fertility. In fact
Showy milkweed plants perform better in low fertility soil than it does in
soils that are wet and very fertile.
Light requirement: The plant blooms best if given full sun.
Soil requirement: Actually the main soil requirement for this plant is good drainage.
Water requirement: Make sure you don’t overwater the plant once it is established. The
plant actually prefers a soil that is somewhat on the dry side.
Fertilizer requirement: There is actually no need to fertilize this plant. Even too much
fertilizer can result to low performance of the plant.
Varieties of showy Milkweed
The following are some of the
varieties of showy milkweed;
1.
The Common milkweed (Asclepias
syriaca) variety: The Common milkweed is about two to four feet in height, it
has pink-purple color.
2.
The Butterfly weed (Asclepias
tuberosa) variety: The Butterfly weed is about one to two feet in height, light
orange in color.
3.
The Swamp milkweed (Asclepias
incarnate) variety: The Swamp milkweed is about four to five feet in height, the
colors are mauve, pink, or white.
4.
The Sandhill milkweed (Asclepias
humistrata) variety: The Sandhill milkweed is about one to three feet in
height, the colors are pink, lavender, or white.
Furthermore, some of the varieties of
showy milkweed plants are poisonous to humans and pets, for this reason deer
pests usually leave them alone.
Showy milkweed uses
Showy milkweed plants have a number
of medicinal uses. The plant have traditionally been used to treat the
following; Snakebite, Colic, Rash, Diarrhea, Sore throat and Swelling.
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