“Showy Milkweed Holds the Crown for Pollinators”

“Asclepias speciosa has a similar appearance to Common Milkweed, but its pinkish-purple flowers have longer, tapered petals that are covered with fine hairs. These persistant, fragrant blooms are often described as looking like small crowns. Showy milkweed may be better suited in garden settings because it spreads less aggressively than Common Milkweed. Showy Milkweed is common through its native range which extends mostly west of the Mississippi River. In its native range, it can be found in prairies, savannas, and other open spaces. It does not tolerate shade, but can handle most soil types.

Source: Prairie Moon Nursery based in Winona, MN

Pollination Notes:

–Milkweed doesn’t have loose, powdery pollen. Instead, its pollen is packed into tiny, waxy saddlebags called pollinia.

–A pollinator’s foot or leg must slip into a slit in the flower’s hood-and-horn structure to grab the pollinia and pull them out. Small insects lack the weight and strength to pull their legs back out of the slit. Robust insects like Bumblebees and Carpenter bees have the muscle power to yank free—carrying the pollinia away to the next flower. Larger wasps are also capable of effectively pollinating Showy Milkweed.

–Butterflies, moths, Hummingbirds, and other bees often drink nectar but don’t transfer pollen.