Plants in the Milkweed family get their name from the thick, sticky, milky sap that oozes out of torn leaves, stems, or fresh pods. Resins in the sap are toxic when ingested by livestock. For humans the sap is an irritant to the skin and eyes. Butterfly caterpillars feeding on these plants are protected from several species of birds due to these toxins. Swamp Milkweed grows to 3″ tall in swamps, with pink to rose colored small flowers arranged in umbrella-like clusters.

Latin Name: Asclepias Incarnate

Habitat: Swamp

Flowers: Summer – Fall.