Milkweed in Louisiana
Louisiana’s bottomland hardwood forests and cypress swamps support aquatic milkweed, one of the few species that grows in standing water and shade. The state is also a first landfall for monarchs crossing the Gulf, making fall nectar supply critical.
The best milkweed to plant in Louisiana
Native to the state, garden-worthy and useful to monarchs. Start here if you are planting rather than identifying.
All milkweed species in Louisiana
| Species | Height | Flower | Bloom | Soil | Monarch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata |
3 ft–5 ft | pink, rose, white | June to September | Wet / Average | |
| Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa |
1 ft–3 ft | orange, yellow, red | May to September | Dry / Average | |
| Purple Milkweed Asclepias purpurascens |
2 ft–4 ft | purple, magenta | May to July | Average / Dry | |
| Green Antelopehorn Asclepias viridis |
1 ft–2.5 ft | green, purple | April to July | Dry / Average | |
| Aquatic Milkweed Asclepias perennis |
1 ft–3 ft | white, pink | May to September | Wet | |
| Pinewoods Milkweed Asclepias humistrata |
8 in–2 ft | pink, white | March to June | Dry | |
| Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca |
3 ft–6 ft | pink, mauve, white | June to August | Dry / Average | |
| Whorled Milkweed Asclepias verticillata |
1 ft–2.5 ft | white, green | June to September | Dry / Average | |
| Clasping Milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis |
1.5 ft–3 ft | pink, green, mauve | May to July | Dry | |
| White Milkweed Asclepias variegata |
1.5 ft–3.5 ft | white | May to July | Dry / Average | |
| Fewflower Milkweed Asclepias lanceolata |
2 ft–5 ft | orange, red | May to August | Wet | |
| Green Comet Milkweed Asclepias viridiflora |
1 ft–3 ft | green | May to August | Dry | |
| Red Milkweed Asclepias rubra |
2 ft–4 ft | red, pink | June to July | Wet | |
| Balloon Plant Gomphocarpus physocarpus |
3 ft–6 ft | white, cream | May to October | Average | |
| Tropical Milkweed Asclepias curassavica |
2 ft–4 ft | red, orange, yellow | nearly year-round in frost-free areas | Average | |
| Slimleaf Milkweed Asclepias stenophylla |
1.5 ft–3.3 ft | cream, green | June to August | Dry | |
| Pineland Milkweed Asclepias obovata |
1 ft–2.5 ft | green, yellow | June to August | Dry | |
| Tall Green Milkweed Asclepias hirtella |
2 ft–4 ft | green, white | June to August | Dry / Average | |
| Longleaf Milkweed Asclepias longifolia |
1 ft–2.5 ft | green, purple, white | April to July | Wet / Average |
Not native but naturalised here: Balloon Plant, Tropical Milkweed. Because Louisiana has mild winters, tropical milkweed can sustain year-round monarch breeding and raise OE parasite loads, so plant a native instead.
Planting milkweed in Louisiana
Sow seed outdoors in November to January. Winter then supplies the cold-moist stratification most milkweed seed needs, and germination happens naturally as the soil warms. If you have missed that window, chill seed in the refrigerator for 30 days and sow after your last frost. The full method is here.
Louisiana spans USDA zones 8a–10a, so check the zone range on each species page before committing. Match the species to your site rather than the other way round: dry, sunny and poor suits butterfly weed and the whorled species; a damp spot suits swamp milkweed; shade suits very few milkweeds at all.
Plant at least ten stems in one group rather than scattering them, because female monarchs find dense patches far more readily. Add late-season nectar such as goldenrod and asters so the fall migratory generation has fuel as well as host plants. How to lay out a monarch garden.
Where to buy milkweed in Louisiana
Start with Louisiana Native Plant Society. State native plant societies run the plant sales worth going to: locally grown, untreated stock, at a few dollars a plant, sold by people who can tell you where to put it.
Elsewhere in the southeast
Family-run native seed producer for the eastern and central states.
Non-profit nursery growing local-ecotype natives for the Potomac region.
Independent Gulf Coast Florida native nursery.
Independent north Florida mail-order native nursery.
Long-running independent southeastern native plant nursery.
Independent Tennessee native plant nursery.
Ships to you
One of the widest milkweed seed and bare-root ranges anywhere, with germination codes listed for every species.
Long-established independent nursery specializing in Midwestern natives.
Independent seed producer supplying restoration-scale native seed by the pound.
Family-run Texas seed house focused on regional ecotypes.
Independent nursery growing Missouri-provenance natives.
These favor independent nurseries and non-profits over chain garden centers, which mostly stock unlabeled tropical milkweed and often cannot tell you whether it has been treated with neonicotinoids. Search the full directory by ZIP code.
Milkweed in Louisiana: common questions
What milkweed is native to Louisiana?
17 milkweed species are recorded in Louisiana, including Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens), Green Antelopehorn (Asclepias viridis). The full list is on this page.
What is the best milkweed to plant in Louisiana?
Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Purple Milkweed are the best combination of native, available and garden-worthy for Louisiana. Swamp Milkweed is the easiest to start with.
When should I plant milkweed seed in Louisiana?
Sow outdoors in November to January, so winter provides the cold stratification the seed needs. If you have missed that window, stratify seed in the refrigerator for 30 days and sow in spring after the last frost.
Does milkweed grow wild in Louisiana?
Yes. 19 species occur in Louisiana, typically on roadsides, field margins, prairie remnants and along watercourses. Louisiana’s bottomland hardwood forests and cypress swamps support aquatic milkweed, one of the few species that grows in standing water and shade.
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Milkweed USA. (2026). Milkweed in Louisiana. Retrieved DATE, from https://milkweedusa.com/states/louisiana/
"Milkweed in Louisiana." Milkweed USA, 2026, https://milkweedusa.com/states/louisiana/. Accessed DATE.
Milkweed USA. "Milkweed in Louisiana." Last modified 2026-08-01. Accessed DATE. https://milkweedusa.com/states/louisiana/.
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url = {https://milkweedusa.com/states/louisiana/},
note = {Accessed DATE}
}