Asclepias - Milkweed - Butterfly Weed
Asclepias ovalifolia
Oval-Leaf Milkweed
It possesses a clear clean, almost transparent looking white flower, with green and pink tones that are so delicate. The flower stalk emerges alone. This is a somewhat rare variety of Milkweed / Butterfly Weed. It does like the cooler temps of the more northern climates, but planting on east side of structure will lower growing zone at least one zone.
Asclepias syriaca
Common Milkweed
This is an excellent pollinator and butterfly attracktor. Grows to about 3-4' tall. They make excellent cut flowers. The seed fluff used to be used to mop up Oil spills at sea. Bowstrings were made from the stalks by some Native American tribes.
Asclepias tubrosa
Gay Butterflies
Gay Butterflies is about 30” tall - 24” wide, and very bushy, as the Silky form, but this is a perennial where the Silky formula is at best a tender Perennial and more like an annual in northern climates. It is very slow to re-emerge in the spring so you might want to plant markers such as spring bulbs.
Ascleias speciosa
Showy Milkweed
Asclepias tubrosa
Pleurisy Root
The roots have been used as a medicinal herb for the treatment for a range of lung diseases. Considered especially useful as a respiratory cure for painful breathing issues such as pneumonia. The Natchez peoples used it for tea from the build root to treat pneumonia.
Asclepias viridian
Spider Milkweed
Asclepias carassavica
Silky Formula Milkweed
This is also known as the Blood Flower, like all Asclepias, have very deep tap roots, so special care is needed in transplanting them. If you live in Zone 6 or below, they will need to be grown in pots, and brought into the house, garage or greenhouse for the winter months.
Asclepias incarnata
Swamp Milkweed
This variety has a lovely light vanilla scent which is an added bonus to you as well. The incarnata is taller than the Silky form or the tuberosa, and they are equally as potent.
They produce a good quality fibre, obtained from the bark, for making twine, cloth, etc.
Asclepias verticillata
Whorled Milkweed
So beautiful as a dried flower. It grows to a height of 1 to 2.5” tall, and about 2’ wide. It blooms from June until September which is needed to feed the butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial pollinators. The flower is a beautiful creamy white, very showy and the leaves are thin and lance like.
Asclepias - Milkweed - Butterfly Weed