Asclepias speciosa

Identification

Description

(Asclepias douglasii, Asclepias curvipes ) Asclepias speciosa is similar to Asclepias eriocarpa, but taller and less fuzzy leaves, and much more fragrant, the petals are the color called antique or Victorian rose. One plant can form a large clump by its spreading rhizomes. Showy Milkweed is a perennial, with three foot tall stems and large gray five inch leaves, fruits 4" horns, flowers compound 4-5" cluster like a Forth of July firework. In our area covered with monarch caterpillars during the summer. The Orioles use the dead stems for nests the next spring. (The matter looks like fiberglass.) It needs sun. It is quite drought tolerant,(not in the same league though as A. eriocarpa, erosa or californica) plant, water well firstsummer and ignore. Tolerates alkaline soils. Needs cross-pollination for fruit and seed development. Pollen is self-incompatible alkaloids associated with this plant give the butterflies that feed on it protection. The alkaloids associated with this plant give the butterflies that feed on it protection. 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 have no tolerance for the particular alkaloid of the 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. I would guess the symptoms to be similar to the problem of intolerance to legumes that some people have.