Asclepias californica

Identification

Asclepias californica, California Milkweed.
Asclepias californica California Milkweed  in flower - grid24_3
Asclepias californica, California Milkweed west of Ridgcrest
Asclepias californica California Milkweed - grid24_3
Asclepias californica, California Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa, Showy Milkweed flowers - grid24_3
Asclepias californica, California Milkweed flowers
Asclepias californica, California Milkweed in the wild. No, I do not remember if that is Prunus andersonii or fremontia, or it could be a Lycium - grid24_3
Asclepias californica, California Milkweed in desert sand. It also grows in coastal woodlands.

Description

Asclepias californica, California milkweed is one of the most beautiful milkweeds in California. It has deep purple flowers and almost white gray fuzzy foliage. It is very drought tolerant even occruing in some high desert areas. It is found mostly in Southern California. It can sometimes be found with Salvia apiana, Eriogonum fasciculatum polifolium, Quercus engelmannii, Diplacus sp., Mirabilis sp, and Artemisia californica. The alkaloids associated with this milkweed and other milkweeds give the butterflies that feed on it protection from predators. Alkaloids from the wrong milkweed (South American, Mexican, etc.) can expose the butterflies to predation. If the monarch or other butterfly has not evolved with the milkweed they may have limited tolerance for the particular alkaloid or latex of the plant species. The California flyway runs from Baja to Canada, it does not include Mexico proper nor Central America. If you live in Chicago you can plant Mexican species (Asclepias mexicana) or Asclepias tuberosa, don't plant our species. You might look at the Monarch entry in James Scott's Butterflies of North America and articles by Fink, L and L.P. Brower.

Available at our Online store.

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Available at our Santa Margarita store.

Contact: bawilson@laspilitas.com
Hours: Open Saturday only from 9am to 4pm
Address: 3232 Las Pilitas Rd. Santa Margarita, CA 93453
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Available at our Escondido store.

Contact: escondido@laspilitas.com
Hours: Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm
Address: 8331 Nelson Way Escondido, CA 92026
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Characteristics

Asclepias californica California Milkweed tolerates clay.

Asclepias californica California Milkweed's foliage color is gray and type is stressdeciduous.
Asclepias californica California Milkweed's flower color is violet.

Communities

Communities for Asclepias californica California Milkweed:Mixed-evergreen Forest, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland and Yellow Pine Forest.

Ranges for Asclepias californica

ph: 6.00 to 8.00
usda: 7 to 10
height[m]: 1.00 to 1.00
width[m]: 1.00 to 1.00
rainfall[cm]: 20.00 to 50.00

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Last edited on 2012-10-05 19:48:54.

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