Common name: Whorled Milkweed
Scientific name: Asclepias verticillata
Category: Native Forb, Rare Perennial
Sample mature size: 0.6 m tall, 0.3 m wide; 2 ft tall, 1 ft wide
Sunlight: Full-sun
Water: Dry
Soil: Sand, Gravel, Clay, Loam
Blooms: White in August
Natural habitats: Open-upland, Prairie-savannahs, Roadsides-ravines
Wildlife benefits: Butterflies/skippers π¦, Host plant π, Bees/wasps π
Points of interest: - Readily distinguished from other milkweed species by its more narrow leaves and delicate white flowers that bloom later in summer
- Prefers open sandy woods and infertile soils that reduce competition from taller plants
- The nectar of the flowers attracts many kinds of insects, including bees, butterflies like the Painted Lady, and other neat insects like the Northern Paper Wasp
- Mammals tend to avoid eating its foliage since itβs one of the more toxic milkweed species
- In open sunny areas with exposed soil, this plant may spread more aggressively
