Asclepias syriaca
asclepias syriacaAlso known as Butterfly Flower, Silkweed, Silky Swallow-Wort, Virginia Silkweed
Common milkweed is a robust perennial wildflower famous for its sticky, milky latex sap and fragrant, spherical clusters of pinkish-purple blossoms. These plants serve as the primary nursery and food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars, which sequester the plant's toxic cardenolides for their own defense. In autumn, the large, bumpy seed pods split open to release hundreds of seeds, each equipped with silky white hairs designed to catch the wind.
- diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
- family
- Apocynaceae
- threats
- Habitat loss, herbicide use, and mowing of roadside corridors
- life Span
- Perennial (individual stems live one season, root system can persist for decades)
LC
All parts contain toxic cardiac glycosides; do not ingest and wash hands after handling the milky sap.
Contains toxic cardiac glycosides that can cause nausea, vomiting, and heart rhythm issues if ingested, and the milky sap is a skin and eye irritant.
Wash hands thoroughly after touching the plant, and never allow the white sap to contact your eyes or mouth.Essential host plant for the declining monarch butterfly, making individual plants crucial for pollinator survival.
Avoid mowing or clearing milkweed patches during the spring and summer breeding seasons.- Observe Monarchs: Look closely at the undersides of leaves for tiny, ribbed monarch eggs or striped caterpillars.
- Avoid Sap Contact: Do not touch your eyes or face after snapping a leaf, as the milky latex is highly irritating.
- Smell the Blooms: Gently sniff the dome-like flower clusters in midsummer to enjoy their intense, sweet fragrance.