A Fragrant Rose-Pink Native Milkweed for Moist Soil

Cinderella Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella') is a garden-worthy selection of our native swamp milkweed, bearing large, rounded clusters of sweetly fragrant, rose-pink flowers atop tall, sturdy stems in summer. Built for moist soil and rain gardens, it's a powerhouse monarch host and a nectar magnet that draws clouds of butterflies and bees. A beautiful, wildlife-rich choice for damp, sunny spots in Edina, Maple Grove, and Woodbury.

Landscape Uses

Use Cinderella in rain gardens, pond and stream edges, moist borders, and pollinator and native plantings. It pairs beautifully with Joe Pye weed, blue flag iris, and other moisture-loving natives, and anchors any monarch waystation.

Best Time to Plant

Plant in spring or early summer. Swamp milkweed emerges late in spring, so be patient and mark its spot.

How to Plant

Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Set the crown level with the soil, backfill, water in well, and mulch 2–3 inches deep. Choose a spot that stays reliably moist.

Watering

First Year: Keep the soil consistently moist, watering 2–3 times per week.
After Year One: Water regularly; swamp milkweed prefers steady moisture and tolerates wet soil.
Drip Irrigation: A soaker hose or drip line helps maintain the moisture this milkweed loves.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from Butterfly Weed?
Swamp milkweed thrives in moist to wet soil, while butterfly weed needs dry, well-drained soil. Both are monarch hosts.

Is it a monarch host plant?
Yes, it feeds monarch caterpillars and provides nectar for adult butterflies and bees.

Is it a Minnesota native?
Yes, native swamp milkweed, hardy to Zone 3.

Is it deer resistant?
Yes, deer avoid milkweeds.

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Pair Cinderella with white swamp milkweed (Ice Ballet), Joe Pye weed, and other moisture-loving natives for a monarch-friendly rain garden.

How Many Cinderella Milkweed Do I Need?

Plant in moist, sunny drifts at about 18–24 in. spacing for a full monarch waystation. For a dramatic, butterfly-drawing mass, set them in groups of 5–7.

Cinderella Milkweed Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Emerges late — mark its spot. New shoots push up after most perennials are already leafed out.
• Summer: The main event — large, rounded clusters of sweetly fragrant rose-pink flowers draw monarchs, swallowtails, and bees; foliage feeds monarch caterpillars.
• Fall: Slender seed pods split to release silky-tailed seeds; foliage yellows as the plant winds down.
• Winter: Dies back to the ground; leave stems standing for winter interest and overwintering insects, then cut back in spring.

At a Glance

✔ Minnesota Native   ✔ Pollinator-Friendly   ✔ Deer-Resistant   ✔ Rain-Garden / Wet-Soil

Plant It With

• Ice Ballet Milkweed — the white swamp-milkweed companion named in the care notes; same moist conditions, monarch host.
• Gateway Joe Pye Weed — tall, moisture-loving native that draws the same butterflies in late summer.
• Butterfly Weed — the dry-soil orange milkweed; together they extend the monarch buffet across both wet and dry spots.
• Blue False Indigo — native prairie partner with deep roots and indigo spires for early-season structure.

Is Cinderella Milkweed Right for Your Yard?

Cinderella thrives in full sun to part shade in soil that stays reliably moist to wet — rain gardens, pond and stream edges, and damp borders are ideal, and it's hardy statewide to Zone 3. Not a fit if your site is dry and fast-draining; for hot, sandy spots choose Butterfly Weed instead, which wants the opposite conditions.