Showy Milkweed

Showy milkweed is a robust perennial native to open fields, roadsides, and riparian areas across western North America. It typically grows 2–5 feet tall, with broad, velvety leaves and large showy clusters of fragrant creamy pink to purplish star-shaped flowers that bloom in late spring through summer. The plant produces elongated seed pods that split open to release silky-haired seeds carried by the wind. Ecologically, showy milkweed is a critical larval host plant for declining populations of monarch butterflies and an abundant nectar source for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its resilience and ecological importance make it a keystone species in pollinator conservation and habitat restoration efforts.