Purple Milkweed

Purple milkweed has showy purple flower clusters, similar to common milkweed. But the umbels don't droop but stay up. It blooms for a long time between June and August and does not spread aggressively by rhizomes like the common milkweed. The opposite is true; it is rather hard to establish.

Growing conditions:

It occurs naturally on woodland edges in part shade and dry fields but also in more moist conditions on lakeshores. 

Ecology:

Host plant for the monarch butterfly, nectar plant for various bees and butterflies.