Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens)
ah-SKLEE-pee-us poor-pyoo-RAI-senz

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Apocynaceae Family

Purple Milkweed is a native perennial wildflower in the milkweed family, closely related to — but far less aggressive than — Common Milkweed. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall on an unbranched stem, with large opposite leaves (up to 6-8 inches long) that taper to a point, their midveins often tinted purple to match the flowers. In early summer, stiff, rounded umbels of richly colored pink-to-deep-purple flowers open near the stem tips, carrying a pleasant fragrance and drawing bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Unlike Common Milkweed, it spreads only slowly by rhizome, forming small, well-behaved colonies rather than aggressive stands, and its seed pods are smooth rather than warty. It's an important host plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and is increasingly uncommon in the wild, found along prairie edges, oak savannas, and woodland borders.

Pros

  • Fragrant, richly colored purple-pink flower clusters that draw bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
  • Important host plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars
  • Well-behaved compared to Common Milkweed — spreads slowly and won't take over a bed
  • Deer resistant and drought tolerant once established

Cons

  • Sap and all plant parts are toxic if ingested, and can irritate skin or eyes
  • Can be slow and finicky to establish in the first year or two
  • Seedlings take 3+ years to reach flowering size
  • Less widely available in the trade than other milkweeds
Why Like

As a straight native species, Purple Milkweed supports the same pollinators and Monarch butterflies it evolved alongside. It has also become genuinely uncommon in parts of its range — listed as endangered in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, historical in Rhode Island, and imperiled or of special concern in several other states — so garden and prairie plantings of the true species help support a plant that's harder to find in the wild than it once was.
Highlights

One of the more uncommon milkweeds in cultivation, prized for its extra-fragrant, deep purple-pink flower clusters and its well-mannered, non-aggressive growth compared to Common Milkweed.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Tolerates medium-dry to medium-wet conditions once established; drought tolerant, but appreciates supplemental water during dry spells, especially in a full-sun spot.
Zones 3a - 8b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Erosion Control, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rain Garden, Good for Rocky Soil, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Native to North America, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Hot Dry Site, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Tolerant of Shallow Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period June to July
Flower Color Rose-Pink To Purple
Foliage Color Green
 

In The News
 

More Info from Experts
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 05/18 - 08/23
2024 : 05/01 - 05/04
2023 : 08/24 - 09/10

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

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