Showy milkweed

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Asclepias speciosa

Colorado native. S02 S28

Toxic if eaten. Native status, garden use and noxious-weed class are separate from toxicity. Exposure help.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. The cited findings are available below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.

Three views of this plant

Photos are source-identified examples, not a complete identification key. Check leaves, stems, flowers and fruit together. Locations are not assumed to be in Colorado.

Asclepias speciosa: Close view of pale pink showy milkweed flowers, with long pointed hoods above reflexed petals. — **flowers** — Close view of pale pink showy milkweed flowers, with long pointed hoods above reflexed petals.
Andrey Zharkikh · CC BY 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Wikimedia Commons source file title and species metadata identify the taxon. Visible morphology was checked for consistency, not treated as an independent botanical determination.
No edits to the downloaded image. Wikimedia may have supplied a scaled thumbnail; original and download URLs are recorded separately. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Asclepias speciosa: Pink and white showy milkweed flower cluster viewed from above, showing pointed hoods and unopened buds. — **flowers** — Pink and white showy milkweed flower cluster viewed from above, showing pointed hoods and unopened buds.
Tom Koerner / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Wikimedia Commons source file title and species metadata identify the taxon. Visible morphology was checked for consistency, not treated as an independent botanical determination.
No edits to the downloaded image. Wikimedia may have supplied a scaled thumbnail; original and download URLs are recorded separately. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Asclepias speciosa: An open, rough-surfaced milkweed pod releasing brown seeds with silky white hairs. — **seed pod** — An open, rough-surfaced milkweed pod releasing brown seeds with silky white hairs.
John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America · CC BY 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Wikimedia Commons source file title and species metadata identify the taxon. Visible morphology was checked for consistency, not treated as an independent botanical determination.
No edits to the downloaded image. Wikimedia may have supplied a scaled thumbnail; original and download URLs are recorded separately. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Recognize

Pink flower clusters on an upright perennial; included in the Front Range native plant guide. S03

Plants & habitat

Self-seeds and supports monarch caterpillars. Garden judgment: give volunteers room or manage seedlings beside smaller plants. S02

People

Milkweed ingestion can cause serious poisoning; sap may irritate skin and eyes. Wear gloves when handling. S05

Evidence scope: Genus-level.

Dogs & cats

Milkweeds are toxic to both. Signs can include vomiting and weakness, with potentially severe effects. Contact a veterinarian promptly after suspected ingestion. S04

Evidence scope: Genus-level.

Other animals

Milkweeds can poison horses and other livestock, while monarch caterpillars use this species as food. S04 S02

Evidence scope: Genus-level toxicity; species-specific benefit.

Before taking action

Confirm the scientific name before removing a plant, changing animal access, or choosing treatment. An evidence gap means this review has not resolved the question. It does not mean safe. For listed weeds, consult your county weed program about the requirements for your location; follow the current label for any pesticide. S27

References

S02 — Low Water Native Plants for Pollinators, CSU Extension · Pueblo County. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:52+00:00. Locator: Mid-Season Wildflowers: Showy Milkweed.
S28 — Loving Our Native Plants, CSU Extension · Pueblo County. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:56+00:00. Locator: Native landscape plant list: Common sunflower and Showy milkweed.
S03 — Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens: Front Range & Foothills, Colorado Native Plant Society / CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:53+00:00. Locator: Plant table: Asclepias speciosa and Achillea millefolium.
S05 — Milkweed plants can cause serious poisoning, National Capital Poison Center. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:53+00:00. Locator: Symptoms; Effects on skin and in eyes; prevention.
S04 — Milkweed, ASPCA Poison Control. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:52+00:00. Locator: Scientific Name; Toxicity; Clinical Signs; poison contact.

Content revised 2026-09-07 02:43:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.