Neon Flash Spiraea vs Showy Milkweed - TreeTime.ca

Neon Flash Spiraea vs Showy Milkweed

Spiraea japonica Neon Flash

Asclepias speciosa

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Neon Flash Spiraea
Showy Milkweed

Neon Flash Spiraea is a colorful, low maintenance, and multi-purpose shrub.

Late spring to fall you'll be drawn to its vibrant neon red blooms that rest on a neat mound of green foliage. If deer and rabbit are an issue on your property, consider planting Neon Flash Spiraea for its deer/rabbit resistance. Its tolerance of a variety of well-drained soils makes it an ideal foundation, landscaping, or border plant.

Showy Milkweed is a native perennial wildflower known for its fragrant clusters of pink to purple, star-shaped flowers. It is an essential plant for Monarch butterflies, acting as a critical host plant for caterpillars and a nectar source for adults. Blooming from early to mid-summer, these flowers also supply nectar to many other pollinators, including bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.

Ideal for butterfly conservation, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects, Showy Milkweed thrives in a wide range of soils, including dry and rocky ground. While it spreads via underground rhizomes to form colonies, it is much less aggressive than Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).

Note: All parts of the plant contain toxic cardiac glycosides, especially the milky sap. Do not ingest any part of the plant and prevent sap from contacting skin or eyes. Toxic to humans, pets, and livestock.

Neon Flash Spiraea Quick Facts

Showy Milkweed Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - high
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: toxic to pets, livestock, and humans if ingested, can cause skin and eye irritation.
Fall colour: burgundy bronze
Flowers: pale to bright pink
Flowers: purplish-pink clusters
Bloom time: early to mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, MB, YT