Table of Contents for Slim-Pod Milkweed (Asclepias quinquedentata)
Slim-Pod Milkweed (Asclepias quinquedentata) is a herbaceous perennial that is native to the states of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States and extends south into Mexico. This plant is a host to the Queen (Danaus gilippus) and Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies. Growing from 6 to 12 inches tall, this species grows on rocky hills, oak woodlands, and fields. The greenish-purple tinged flowers bloom from June to August and the plant is hardy in zones 9-11.
Taxonomy and Naming of Slim-Pod Milkweed (Asclepias quinquedentata)
Taxonomy
Slim-Pod Milkweed (Asclepias quinquedentata) was originally named and described by Asa Gray, an American botanist in 1877. It has kept this same name since and is a member of the Dogbane Family (Apocynaceae).
Meaning of the Scientific and Common Names
Scientific Name
The genus name, Asclepias, is named for the Greek god of healing, Asklepios (Flora of Wisconsin). The species name, quinquedentata, is Latin for “five teeth”, in reference to the five teeth on the flower hoods.
Common Name and Alternative Names
The common name comes from the slimness of the follicle.
Physical Description
- Plant Type: This plant is a herbaceous perennial.
- Height: 6 to 12 inches tall
- Stem: The stems are slender to caespitose (Woodson 1954).
- Leaves: The leaves are opposite, sessile to subsessile, linear to filiform and are 1.5 to 3.5 inches long and 0.04 to 0.08 inches wide. The leaves are slightly pubescent to pubescent (Woodson 1954).
- Flower color: greenish-purple (Woodson 1954), with a reddish to brown tinge (Fishbein, et al 2008), or reddish (Van Devender, et al 2014)
- Blooming period: This plant blooms from June to August.
- Fruiting type and period: This plant has follicles that mature in the late summer and fall.
Range of Slim-Pod Milkweed in the United States and Canada
This milkweed species is native to the states of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States. Its ranges extends south into Mexico.
Habitat
This species grows in rocky hills (Woodson 1954), oak woodlands (Van Devender, et al 2014) and fields (Laferriere 1994).
Hosted Insects
This species is a host for the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus), the Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus).
Other Supported Wildlife
This species is a nectar source to other butterflies, skippers, bees, and wasps during the growing season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this plant poisonous?
Like other milkweeds, it has cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) and is considered to be poisonous with ingestion.
Does this plant have any ethnobotanical uses?
The Native American Ethobotanical Database does not cite this species specifically, but milkweeds in general have been used for pharmaceuticals, fibers, and foods.
How is this plant distinguished from other milkweeds?
This species is most similar to the low milkweed (Asclepias pumila) and the whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata). However, both of the previous species have entire hoods on the flowers, whereas slim-pod milkweed has a toothed hood. Long-hood milkweed (Asclepias macrotis) has linear leaves, but has hoods that well exceed the anthers, whereas this species does not (Wooten and Standley 1915).
Is this plant invasive?
This plant has not been noted as being weedy and is restricted to the states of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States.
Gardening with Slim-Pod Milkweed
Hardiness
This species is hardy in zones 9-11. If your garden is within these zones and you have the right growing conditions (soil, moisture and exposure), you may well be able to grow this plant. However, if planted outside of its range, the hosted species may not recognize the plant or be harmed by ingesting a different species with an unfamiliar chemical composition.
Optimal Conditions
This species can grow in full sun to partial-shade in well-drained soil.
References
- Fishbein, Mark, Veronica Jaurez-Jaimes, and Leonardo O. Alvarado-Cardenas. 2008. Resurrection of Asclepias schaffneri (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), a Rare, Mexican Milkweed. Madrono 55: 69-75.
- Laferriere, Joseph A. 1994. Vegetation and Flora of the Mountain Pima village of Nabogame, Chihuahua, Mexico. Phytologia 77: 102-140.
- Van Devender, Thomas R., Guererro Reina, Lilia Ana, Aaron D. Flesch, Michael Jacobs. 2014. Additions to the Flora of Sonora, Mexico. Phytoneuron 2014-76: 1-8.
- Woodson, Robert. 1954. The North American Species of Asclepias L. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 41: 1-211.
- Wooten, E.O. and Paul Standley Carpenter. 1915. Flora of New Mexico. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium v. 19.
