General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Vine
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Plant Height: Scrambles and twines 3 to 6 feet.
Plant Spread: invasive
Leaves: Deciduous
Fruit: Dehiscent
Other: 1.5 to 3 inch long pods containing numerous flat brown seeds with silky white filaments.
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: Mauve
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Uses: Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Butterflies

Image
Common names
  • Pale Swallow-wort
  • Pale Swallowwort
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Vincetoxicum rossicum
  • Synonym: Cynanchum rossicum

Photo Gallery
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2012-06-12
Location: Edwards Garden Ravine Ontario Canada
Date: 1999    July-August
Cynanchum rossicum  seedpodsforming
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2012-05-31
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2012-05-31
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2012-05-31
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2012-05-31
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2012-06-12
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Skaneateles Conservation Area
photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Comments:
  • Posted by threegardeners (Brockville, Ontario, Canada - Zone 5a) on May 31, 2012 6:04 PM concerning plant:
    This is a highly invasive non-native (to Ontario) plant.
    Produces scented, milkweed-like flowers with 5 petals that are smooth unlike the Black Swallowwort which has fuzzy flower petals.

    Destroy this plant if you see it! Female Monarch butterflies will mistakenly lay their eggs on this plant believing it to be a milkweed but it doesn't have the right food for the caterpillars.

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