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Asclepias is a genus of 140 species of milkweed. Some milkweed are member of related genus Calotropis, genus Cynanchum, genus Gomphocarpus, genus Tweedia and genus Vincetoxicum. All are members of dogbane family Apocynaceae.
Most species are native to North America, although others are native 🌐︎ across the globe. ▭ 🌎︎ Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48) (colors).
🚧 In the future, we will add here identification paths for specific species of milkweed, probably starting with: clusters of very-small flowers with ❀ 5 petals=pink or light purple around white center, 40% of sphere, 👃︎ subtle smell of vanilla♒︎ swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata, clusters of very-small flowers with ❀ 5 petals=dusty rose, 80% of sphere, 👃︎ smells flowerycommon milkweed Asclepias syriaca, clusters of very-small flowers with ❀ 5 petals=brilliant orange around a yellow center, 10% of a sphere, 👃︎ little smellbutterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa, clusters of very-small flowers with ❀ 5 petals=white around a white center, 20% of a sphere, leaves=very narrowwhorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata, ◼︎ black swallow-wort Cynanchum louiseae, ◼︎ pale swallow-wort Cynanchum rossicum and ◼︎ white swallow-wort Vincetoxicum hirundinaria. Please let us know which other species you would like to see here, using the button at the bottom of this page.
The ❀ milkweed blossom is the ⚘❀ state wildflower of Illinois.
Uses by native peoples(Ethnobotany database)
Asclepias hosts caterpillars of 13 speciesof butterflies and moths, in some areas, including being the only host plant for eggs and larvae of the monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus. Poster of monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus lifecycle, larvalhost plants, adult nectar plants, and growing info for these plants. Growing milkweeds formonarch butterflies Milkweed—It's NotJust for Monarchs
Bloom dates (NE Illinois). (🔒︎ Wild Ones members only)
🔍︎ 🔍︎ images Discover Life Encyclopedia of Life Michigan Flora Minnesota Wildflowers USDA PLANTS db Wikipedia
🏠︎ terrestrial ☙ herbaceous plants monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus
♒︎ swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata common milkweed Asclepias syriaca butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata ◼︎ black swallow-wort Cynanchum louiseae ◼︎ pale swallow-wort Cynanchum rossicum ◼︎ white swallow-wort Vincetoxicum hirundinaria