Part of milkweed  genus Asclepias (whose ❀ blossom is the ⚘❀ state wildflower of Illinois) in dogbane  family Apocynaceae.

Native to 🇨🇦 Canada and 🇺🇸 USA, east of the 🗻︎ Rocky Mountains.   🌎︎ Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48) (colors).

Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)

Asclepias hosts caterpillars of 13 species
of 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, larval
host plants, adult nectar plants, and growing info for these plants.  Adobe Acrobat Reader file

Bloom dates (Michigan)  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 3) Bloom dates (NE Illinois).  Adobe Acrobat Reader file  (🔒︎ Wild Ones members only) Bloom dates and planting info.  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 4)  (🔒︎ Wild Ones members only)

Learn more about whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata

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🏠︎ ⚘ ❀ flowers terrestrial ☙ herbaceous plants

milkweed  genus Asclepias and related genera