Cutleaf Anemone vs Showy Milkweed

Pacific Anemone is a native perennial wildflower with buttercup-like blooms. The flowers can be a variety of colors, including white, pink, and dark red. The deeply cut leaves add a unique texture to the landscape. The flowers bloom from May to August, providing early-season nectar and pollen for insects. They attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

As the flowers fade, they become fluffy white seed heads, which birds often use in their nests. They can spread readily through self-seeding; to limit their spread, regular deadheading is recommended. Tolerant of drought and poor soils, the Pacific Anemone is well suited for wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects.

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.

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