Asclepias syriaca, commonly called common milkweed, butterfly flower, silkweed, silky swallow-wort, and Virginia silkweed, is a species of flowering plant. It is native to southern Canada and much of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, excluding the drier parts of the prairies. It is in the genus Asclepias, the milkweeds. It grows in sandy soils as well as other kinds of soils in sunny areas. The highly fragrant, nectariferous flowers vary from white (rarely) through pinkish and purplish and occur in umbellate cymes. Individual flowers are about 1 cm (0.4 in) in diameter, each with five horn-like hoods and five pollinia. The seeds, each with long, white flossy hairs, occur in large follicles. More than 450 insects species feed on & pollinate A. syriaca, including flies, beetles, ants, bees, wasps, and butterflies; it is an important food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars (Danaus plexippus), and monarch populations may decline when milkweeds are eliminated.
Keywords (optional; may include species, genus, family, planting season, etc):
Milkweed, Monarch Butterfly Flower, Asclepias syriaca
Is this seed certified organic?:
Yes
No, but no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers were used in producing it
No, and synthetic pesticides or fertilizers were used in producing it.
Available year round?:
Yes
No; see lister's profile for availability times
Listing created
Apr 25, 2022