Unpack bare roots or rhizomes on arrival and plant them within a week. Until then, keep them somewhere cool and ensure the roots remain slightly moist, never wet.
Out of season
Asclepias
'Ice Ballet'
swamp milkweed
Let Asclepias 'Ice Ballet' dance gracefully in the breeze in your summer garden, and watch as pollinators join in with a grand jeté from bloom to bloom! This North American wildflower, commonly known as swamp milkweed, is a bee magnet thanks to its exceptionally rich source of pollen and nectar. Planting several of these is beautiful way to bring some gleaming highlights to the garden as well as encouraging beneficial insects like bees and butterflies to visit your patch. But that’s not all! The graceful, ivory white flowers of Asclepias 'Ice Ballet' seem to go on and on through summer and into autumn, raised up high on tall stems. Its healthy deep-green linear leaves and its delightfully intricate flowers with their gorgeous scent of vanilla make it a border-worthy plant too, and a virtually fuss-free one at that.
After the long flowering season, Asclepias 'Ice Ballet' forms attractive seedheads. These rupture to reveal silky white hairs, which are a fantastic and original element to use in dried flower arrangements. The fresh flowers are also very ornamental and last a long time in a vase. And by cutting or deadheading them, you’ll stimulate the production of yet more. Happy in a sunny spot in the garden in most soils, and tolerant of damper areas and also clay soil, Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet' is a tough and easy to grow plant. In a border or in a prairie scheme, why not create a pollinator haven by planting alongside Echinacea, Eupatorium, Agastache, Nepeta and Monarda.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
Remove the packaging straight away, check the compost and water thoroughly if dry. Check the plant’s hardiness before placing it outdoors. Plant into a border or permanent container within a month, choosing the position recommended for the variety. Keep the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil, firm gently and water well.
Soak the roots in water for three to six hours immediately before planting. Keep any crown, buds or emerging shoots above the water where possible.
Pot most bare roots into 15–20cm pots filled with peat-free multipurpose compost. Large or depth-sensitive roots, including peonies, are often best planted directly into borders.
Arrange the roots naturally without bending them. Cover the roots completely, positioning the crown and buds at the depth recommended for that particular perennial.
Keep pots in a sheltered outdoor position and water whenever the compost begins to dry. Grow on until roots hold the compost together when lifted from the pot.
Plant into a suitable border or permanent container once well rooted. Add a label and water regularly throughout the first growing season while the perennial establishes.
- Botanical name
- Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet'
- Flower colour
- White
- Established height
- 50cm-1m
- Established spread
- 10-50cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
-
Upright
Clump-forming - Hardiness
- Fully hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant size
- 1
- Plant spacing
- 10 plants per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- Yes
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- No
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Damp
- Soil type
-
Clay
Loam
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Pots
Water gardens
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens - Sunlight
-
Full sun
Partial shade - Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1-2 years
Perfect for pots
Pollinator-friendly
Thrives in full sun
RHS Recommended
Perennial
Fully hardy
Packed peat-free
Low maintenance
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