Tall stems with large, light green leaves. The summer flowers are a magnet for insects of all types. Large, round heads of pinkish-purple, fragrant flowers are held at the tips of the stems. The beauty of the flowers and the incredible insect activity they generate are captivating. Large seed pods form in late summer and disperse fluffy seeds that float through the air in fall. Common milkweed can spread quite prolifically from seed and rhizomes. It is a larval host for the monarch butterfly. Part of our Monarch Cafe plant tag series.

For more labeled plant gardens, see grownative.org/learn/beautify-your-surroundings/labeled-native-plant-gardens/