Got to see these bloom this year too. It's Swamp Milkweed that I start last year from seed. They seem to be loving our rainy summer. I only had one survivor from my Purple Milkweed seedlings and it hasn't bloomed yet.

Both are beautiful, Christie. You are patient to grow them from seed. I think you might get better plants that way. My purchased Echinacea mostly died. There is a disease they get and I think mine possibly had it when I purchased them.

Congratulations Christie. I used to do that too and need to get back in the groove. I only have one wispy white echinacea left and no swamp milkweed at all. This should have been a good year for that last one!

Christie, that Wild Berry is so beautiful. Wish I had room for Milkweed, as I do love butterflies.

Your success with growing from seed inspires me to try it again. I have much more luck from cuttings, but realize it's not smart to have all these heirloom tomatoes and not save the seed for next year. Keep insiring me, please!
Sunny

I accidentally let my swamp milkweed go to seed. I noticed yesterday the pods were split and the seeds had already blown away. I don't think it would be as likely to come up in our hayfield as common milkweed though. I DID collect the pods off of those before they could split. It's way too aggressive and I don't want any more than I already have.

That's my shed in the background behind the swamp milkweed. It gets pounded with water running off the roof when it rains. It's happy so far.

The PowWow Wildberry plants that I saw at Lowe's last year looked diseased. It's hard to tell because I think they're are different things that can cause them to have deformed blooms but I wouldn't want to take a chance.