I have this plant and it’s a rather polite clumping perennial. Just don’t let it go to seed. I did last year and now have a million babies. i wanted some baby plants, but ended up with way too many lol.

I can’t answer your toxicity question. I don’t have pets to worry about.

I have never had any of my animals show the least bit of interest in eating this plant.

Hmmm...my friend just had 2 chickens die and they scratched around the very substantial milkweed stand in her yard (she has syriaca). I don't see a cat or dog intentionally eating one of these, but who knows? The chickens, I suspect, inadvertently scratched and broke some young seedlings. As they peck everything, they likely ingested some of the sap.

She's had chickens for years without issues and then in the last 2 years the syriaca has really spread and that's when the problems started.

Take it for what you will.

"Cinderalla" milkweed (A. incarnata) is one of my favorites, hands-down -- wouldn't be without it. The color is lovely, the form and foliage are attractive, and it attracts all types of pollinators, not just monarchs. I don't find it aggressive -- stays in a nice clump and expands slowly.

I have a dog that has free reign outside -- she's never bothered the milkweed, or the monkshood for that matter. Animals aren't stupid -- they know which plants to avoid, so I am not the least bit concerned about it, don't think you should be either.

I do have a problem with the milkweed in the spring, though -- milkweed weevils and slugs destroy the young shoots. Sluggo works great and I'm going to get some weevil traps to see if that helps. Just something to be aware of.

I plan to plant incarnata as is does not spread through rhizomes like syriaca. I've never heard the term "Cinderella milkweed," it's always been swamp milkweed around here. Cinderella sounds better, lol.

The cultivar "Cinderella" is a soft, rosy pink; "Ice Ballet" is a white cultivar. I have IB but I find the bloom time much shorter than Cinderella and while it's nice, it just doesn't have that something special that the Cinderella does.

BTW: Swamp milkweed is super easy from seed; it does need to be cold stratified, but easy enough.

Thanks everyone for your info. I don’t really want it to spread……so I guess cutting the pods would be critical.

Thanks for the advice regarding toxicity….I only bought 3 plants. I am happy to hear it does not spread through rhizomes.

debra