Table of Contents for Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi)
Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi) is a herbaceous perennial that is native to the state of Texas in the United States and adjacent Mexico. This plant is a host to the Queen (Danaus gilippus) and Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies. Growing from 4 inches to 1 foot tall, this species has greenish-yellow to white colored flowers that bloom from April to August. It is hardy in zones 7-8.
Taxonomy and Naming of Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi)
Taxonomy
Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi) was originally named and described by Robert Woodson, an American botanist, in 1941. This species still uses this name 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, sperryi, is a Latinized name for the collector of the plant.
Common Name and Alternative Names
The common name comes from the original collector of the plant, Omer E. Sperry (Woodson 1941).
Physical Description of Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi)
Description
- Plant Type: This plant is a suffretescent (semi-shrub).
- Height: 4 inches to 1 foot tall
- Stem: The stems are clustered from the roots and are generally glabrous (Woodson 1954).
- Leaves: The leaves are opposite, simple, sessile, entire, and filiform (Woodson 1954). They range from 2 to 3 inches long and 0.1 inch wide and glabrous with revolute margins (Woodson 1954).
- Flower color: greenish-yellow to white, sometimes with a purple tinge (Woodson 1954).
- Blooming period: This plant blooms from April to August.
- Fruiting type and period: This plant has follicles that mature in the late summer and fall.
Range of Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi) in the United States and Canada
This milkweed species is native to the state of Texas in the United States and to Mexico.
Habitat
This species grows in grasslands that have limestone (Singhurst and Hutchins 2015) and limestone slopes (Woodson 1954).
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 about Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi)
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 specifically mention this species, but milkweeds in general have been used for pharmaceuticals, foods, and fibers.
How is this plant distinguished from other milkweeds?
This milkweed is most similar to the long-hood milkweed (Asclepias macrotis), but can be told apart by the hoods. The hoods in Sperry’s milkweed have a deflexed base, while the long-hood milkweed has an ascending-spreading base (Singhurst and Hutchins 2015). This milkweed is also similar to the talayote (Asclepias fournieri) and another milkweed (Asclepias zanthodacryon), which occur in Mexico. However, both of these species are herbaceous, whereas this species is a semi-shrub. In addition, the one flowered cyme is distinctive to this plant.
Is this plant invasive?
This plant is not considered to be invasive and has a restricted distribution.
Gardening with Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi)
Hardiness
This species is hardy in zones 7-8. 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 grows best in places with full sun to part-shade and has high pH medium moisture soil.
References
- Singhurst, Jason, Ben Hutchins, and Walter Holmes. 2015. Identification of Milkweeds of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
- Woodson, Robert E. 1954. The North American Species of Asclepias L. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 41: 1-211.
- Woodson, Robert E. 1941. Two New Asclepiads from the Southwestern United States. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 28: 245-248.
