Asclepias eriocarpa - Indian Milkweed

Soft, silvery, and deeply valuable to wildlife, Asclepias eriocarpa brings native beauty and essential habitat to sunny California gardens. Commonly known as Indian milkweed or woollypod milkweed, this California native milkweed is treasured as a host plant for Monarch butterflies and a nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Its broad, gray-green leaves, woolly stems, and rounded clusters of creamy flowers create a handsome, naturalistic look in pollinator gardens, native plant gardens, meadows, and water-wise landscapes.

Growing into an upright, 3 to 5 foot open perennial, Asclepias eriocarpa fits beautifully among other drought-tolerant California natives and wildlife-friendly plants. Its soft foliage and creamy blooms pair wonderfully with California poppies, native buckwheats, yarrow, coyote mint, salvias, penstemons, clarkias, grasses, and other pollinator-friendly perennials that create a layered habitat garden full of texture, movement, and seasonal life.

Plant Asclepias eriocarpa in full sun with well-drained soil and low to moderate water once established. Like many native milkweeds, it may go dormant after flowering and return with the season, so mark its spot and allow it time to settle in. Beautiful, resilient, and ecologically important, Indian milkweed is a meaningful choice for gardeners who want to support Monarch butterflies and bring more native habitat home. Explore more Monarch-supporting favorites in our Asclepias - Milkweed collection.