← Bedfellow

Redring Milkweed

Asclepias variegata

An exceptionally beautiful and unique native milkweed that naturally grows in sandy woodland openings, glades, and edges. Bears compact, spherical flowerheads of starry white blossoms highlighted by deep reddish-purple centers. Unlike most milkweeds, it is highly shade-tolerant.

Family

Apocynaceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

1.5–3 ft

Spacing

1–2 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade

Soil moisture

dry

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

March, April, May, June, July, August

Bloom colors

white, purple

Wildlife value

pollinators, butterflies, larval host, monarch host

Caterpillar hosts

~12 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

border, naturalizing

Native states

AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV