Asclepias 'Cinderella'

Asclepias 'Cinderella': Smells Like Vanilla, Feeds the Monarchs

Deep rose-pink, vanilla-scented clusters that turn your yard into the ball every monarch wants to attend. 'Cinderella' handles wet clay that would ruin a lesser princess. NO GLASS SLIPPERS. JUST WET FEET.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'
• Common Name: Swamp Milkweed
• Height: 90–120 cm (3–4 ft)
• Spread: 60–75 cm (2–2.5 ft)
• Flowers: Deep rose-pink, vanilla-scented clusters at the stem tips, followed by slender seed pods
• Bloom Time: Mid to late summer, sometimes into early fall (July to September)
• Foliage: Narrow, lance-shaped, mid-green leaves on an upright clump
• Features: Monarch host plant, rabbit resistant, fragrant, tolerates clay and wet soil, good cut flower

Where to Plant: Plant it in a sunny border, a rain garden, a low spot that stays damp, or along a pond edge. The upright habit adds height in the middle of a bed. It handles heavy clay, which is good news for a lot of Toronto and Ottawa gardens.

Companion Plants: Plant 'Cinderella' in a sunny bed with average to moist soil, where monarchs will find it in July. Geranium macrorrhizum carpets the front at 30 to 35 cm with magenta-pink flowers in May and June and scented leaves. Helenium 'Mariachi Sombrero' adds bright yellow daisies at 60 to 75 cm from July to September. Aster 'Mönch' brings lavender-blue daisies at 60 to 75 cm from July to September. Pennisetum 'Piglet' fills in at 40 to 50 cm with soft, fluffy plumes.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average to moist soil. It prefers steady moisture but also does fine in ordinary, well-drained garden soil. Water regularly through the first season. It emerges late in spring, so mark the spot and don't dig there by accident in May. Deadheading the first flush can encourage a few more flowers, but leave some to form pods if you want seeds. The milky sap is toxic and can irritate skin, so wear gloves when cutting. Cut the stems down in late fall or early spring. Swamp milkweed has a deep taproot and is happiest left in place, so pick its spot carefully.

History: 'Cinderella' is a garden selection of Asclepias incarnata, a milkweed native to wet meadows, marshes and stream banks across much of eastern and central North America, including southern Ontario and Quebec. The genus is named after Asklepios, the Greek god of healing, and incarnata refers to its flesh-pink flower colour.

Final Thoughts: Plant it in sun and let the monarchs move in for good. Deer and rabbits aren't on the guest list. THE CLOCK NEVER STRIKES MIDNIGHT HERE.