Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Butterfly Milkweed at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Gentianales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Asclepias tuberosa var. tuberosa
FAMILY
Apocynaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Asclepias tuberosa ssp. tuberosa
FAMILY
Asclepiadaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 157-01-004a:
Asclepias tuberosa ssp. tuberosa
FAMILY
Asclepiadaceae
COMMON NAME:
Butterfly Milkweed, Butterflyweed, Pleurisy Root, Wind Root
Click or hover over the thumbnails to see larger pictures.
JK Marlow jkm100504_003
May Greenville County SC
Stems stout, hirsute to hispid; the sap not milky, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
JK Marlow jkm180504_459
May Meriwether-Talbot Counties GA
Sprewell Bluff WMA
Leaves alternate and numerous, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses.
JK Marlow jkm0506a_26
June Greenville County SC
Field
Plant is rough-hairy throughout, per Guide to the Wildflowers of SC.
JK Marlow jkm160615_020
June Greenville County SC
Leaves abundant, linear to elliptic, obovate, oblanceolate or hastate, per Wildflowers of the Eastern United States.
JK Marlow jkm080716_001
July Greenville County SC
Follicles erect, 8-15 cm long and 1-1.5 cm broad, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
Steve Marlow snm0707041077_022b
July Greenville County SC
Pollinator at work... Corolla lobes reflexed; corona horns shorter than hoods, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
JK Marlow jkm080821_008
August Greenville County SC
At first glance, early instar Milkweed Bug nymphs look like red aphids, per Milkweeds, Monarchs and More by Rea, Oberhauser, and Quinn.
JK Marlow jkm080821_016
August Greenville County SC
Markings on Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) form a black band, per Milkweeds, Monarchs and More by Rea, Oberhauser, and Quinn.
Tim Spira tps_atuberosa_frts7
August
Erect boat-shaped pod splits on one side to release many plume-tufted seeds, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses.
JK Marlow jkm080904_001
September Greenville County SC
Seeds with feathery parachute-like structures float on the slightest breeze, per Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont.
JK Marlow jkm090910_003
September Greenville County SC
Milkweed Bug nymphs eat Milkweed plant matter, seeds and nectar, per Milkweeds, Monarchs and More by Rea, Oberhauser, and Quinn.
JK Marlow jkm090910_006
September Greenville County SC
Milkweed Bug nymphs congregating on a Milkweed pod.
JK Marlow jkm071021_009
October Oconee County SC
Seed pods are 4-5" long and look like elongated footballs held upright, per All About South Carolina Wildflowers.