USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-10b  Find Your Zone

Plant Type:  Perennial

Flower Color:  Lavender and White

Flower Size:  4-5" diameter clusters 

Flowering Period:  Early Summer to Early Fall

Flower Type:  Single in clusters

Fragrant Flowers:  Yes, mild vanilla scent

Foliage Color:  Green

Fragrant Foliage:  -

Berries:  Seedpods

Berry Color:  -

Attracts:  Butterflies, Beneficial Pollinators, Hummingbirds

Resistances: Cold Temperatures (-10F), Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Rabbit, Dry Soil (when established)

Asclepias fascicularis, commonly known as Narrowleaf Milkweed, is a butterfly dream plant. As its name suggests, it features long, thin, pointed leaves that give the plant a soft, wispy look and texture in the garden. It produces 4-5" diameter clusters packed with vanilla-scented, fragrant lavender and white bicolor flowers from early summer to early fall. Each flower looks like a crown, with lavender petals and white tops. Following the flowers are smooth seed pods, which split open to distribute seeds that might germinate if they land in preferred soil and conditions. Narrowleaf Milkweed is an excellent nectar source and food for the larval stages of Monarch and Queen butterflies. The flowers attract many other species of butterflies as well. A North American native, it tolerates various soil types and conditions and is very drought-tolerant when established.

Narrowleaf Milkweed is exceptionally easy to grow and care for. It grows best in moist, well-drained soil of average fertility and six or more hours of sunlight daily. Too much shade will diminish flowering. It is drought tolerant when established. Plant it with the top of the root ball even with the ground level. Care and maintenance are minimal. Feed in spring with a portion of organic plant food.