Asclepias Incarnata

The large, bright, terminal blossoms of this showy flower are made up of small, rose-purple flowers which are clustered at the top of a tall, branching stem, bearing numerous narrow, lanceolate leaves, the tan-brown seed pods persisting into winter. This lovely North American plant is often found growing in damp to wet soils but is cultivated as a garden plant for its attractive flowers, which are visited by butterflies and other pollinators due to its copious production of nectar. The juice of this wetland milkweed is less milky than that of other species. The genus was named in honor of Aesculapius, Greek god of medicine, undoubtedly because some species have long been used to treat a variety of ailments. The Latin species name means flesh-colored.