Engelmann’s Milkweed (Asclepias engelmanniana)
Plant of Engelmann’s Milkweed– Asclepias engelmanniana Woodson
observed in United States of America
by calinsdad (licensed under CCO 1.0
Description of Engelmann’s Milkweed (Asclepias engelmanniana)
Engelmann’s milkweed (Asclepias engelmanniana), a member of the Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family), is a herbaceous perennial that grows from 2 to 4.5 feet tall and has green to yellowish-green, purple-tinged flowers that bloom in the summer (roughly June to September, depending on location). The leaves are simple, alternate, entire, linear in shape and are up to 10 inches in length and about 0.2 inches wide. This plant likes open areas with full sun that have dry soils. In some cases, it can handle partial shade.
Alternative Names
No other names known.
Hosted Species
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus)
Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) — Korall, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Other butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds use this plant as a nectar source.
Range of Engelmann’s Milkweed in the United States and Canada
Habitat
Engelmann’s Milkweed is found in open areas with full sun such as prairies, open woodlands, roadsides, and disturbed areas.
Origin of the Name
The genus name, Asclepias, is the Greek name for the God of Medicine. The species name, engelmanniana, is in honor of George Engelmann, a German-American botanist.
Engelmann’s Milkweed (Asclepias engelmanniana) Links
Webpages
Identification of Milkweeds in Texas – goes to a document with A. engelmanniana in it.
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