Asclepias speciosa
showy milkweed
Habit: a grayish, velvety plant with erect leafy stems up to 3 ft (1m). The light-green leaves are oval to nearly round, opposite each other, and may be over 6 inches (15cm) long. Spherical clusters of 10-20 rose-colored flowers, giving showy milkweed it’s common name, occur at the top of white wooly stems from leaf axils. Blooms from late spring to mid summer. The seedpod is an oblong, rough follicle 3-4 inches (8-10cm) long and filled with many flat oval seeds with large white tufts of hair. The root system has deep creeping rhizomes, promoting the vegetative spread of this plant.
Ecology: grows primarily in open grasslands, other sunny dry habitats including along roadsides, rocky or sandy, and dry to somewhat moist areas at low to mid elevations.
Growing Conditions: prefers full sun, fast draining, rich loamy soil, that is moist or dry. Asclepias speciosa can tolerate a variety of situations, including partial sun and a high clay or sand content in the soil and is quite drought tolerant.
Milkweed species are attractive to butterflies (especially Monarchs), bees, and other insects. A milky sap oozes out when either the central stem or leaves are torn.
