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Home  /  Plants  /  Budburst Species  /  Asclepias syriaca
Phenology Observation Sheet for Wildflowers and Herbs

COMMON NAME

common milkweed

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Asclepias syriaca

Plant family

Dogbane (Apocynaceae)

Plant group

Wildflowers and Herbs

This perennial wildflower can grow to over 5 ft tall. It often forms large clones, with multiple stems growing from creeping rhizomes. Probably the most recognizable milkweed species, it produces a globes of soft pink flowers.
1312 reports
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OBSERVERS
1312+
OBSERVATIONS
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Identification hints

When cut, any part of this plant will produce a white milky sap. Common milkweed can be distinguished from other milkweeds by its prickly fruits (follicles).
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Did you know?

Common milkweed is the host plant for the monarch butterfly life cycle. The milky sap or latex inside this plant, eaten by monarch caterpillars, is what makes the animal toxic to predators. Fibers pulled from the dead stems of Common milkweed can be used to create cord and rope. Many Native American tribes used parts of the milkweed plant to treat ailments. However, ingesting any part of Common milkweed can be toxic if not prepared properly.
DISTRIBUTION IN TH U.S.
Alabama , Arkansas , Connecticut , District of Columbia , Delaware , Georgia , Iowa , Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Massachusetts , Maryland , Maine , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Mississippi , Montana , North Carolina , North Dakota , Nebraska , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Virginia , Vermont , Wisconsin , West Virginia
HABITAT
Common milkweed can be very common in most parts of its range, and it can thrive in disturbed habitats. It can grow in prairies, sand dunes, open woodlands, roadsides, and vacant lots.
ATTRIBUTES
Leaves
Common milkweed leaves are opposite one another on the stem, up to 8" long by 3½" wide, with smooth margins. The bottom side of the leaves are covered with short woolly hairs. The central vein is large and prominent.
Flowers
The flowers of common milkweed are a globe-shaped cluster of purplish-pink, sweet-smelling flowers. The color can range from rich purple to faded light pink. Each individual flower is about ¼" wide with hoods and curved horns, with the hoods a lighter in color than the petals.
Fruits
The fruit of common milkweed is a seedpod that opens along one side (follicle). It can be up to 4" long, narrow and pointed towards the tip. It's dull light green in color, textured with long soft prickles and covered in woolly hair. The flat oval-shaped seeds have a tuft of silky white hair attached.
Bloom Time
Blooming can last as long as 1½ months beginning in early or mid-summer.

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