Asclepias variegata

Common Names

Redring Milkweed, White Milkweed, Variegated Milkweed, White-Flowered Milkweed

Summary

Asclepias variegata is a perennial milkweed native to the eastern United States and Ontario, it grows about 1–3 feet tall with opposite leaves and white flowers arranged in spherical umbels often described as snowball-like and ringed with a purple base, exuding milky sap with cardiac glycosides, flowers provide nectar for native bees and butterflies while also serving as a host plant for monarch butterfly larvae, preferring open woodlands, woodland edges, and dry, well-drained soils, for cultivation, plant in full sun to partial shade in dry to well-drained soils, spacing about 1–3 feet apart, it propagates by seeds, with seed pods maturing in late summer to fall and seeds wind-dispersed, and is hardy in USDA zones 3a–9b, deer resistant and relatively low maintenance, it attracts pollinators including monarchs and other bees and butterflies, though handling requires caution due to toxic cardiac glycosides if ingested

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-36 inches

Spread

12-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3a-9b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil, especially sandy soils.

Soil pH

5.5-7.0, Slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer (May–July)

Foliage Color

Green, sometimes with creamy white margins (variegated foliage).

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow growth, with most rapid growth in spring after the danger of hard frost has passed.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, and wasps