# Engelmann's milkweed (*Asclepias engelmanniana*) Engelmann's milkweed is a beautiful plant with tall stems and clusters of pink flowers. It attracts butterflies and helps them grow, making it a special friend in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Engelmann's milkweed](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/389972263/medium.jpg) Photo: CC0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/389972263) ## Appearance The Engelmann's milkweed has multiple slender, erect stems with distinctive long, narrow leaves arranged in pairs. Its flowers grow in globe-like clusters at the top, displaying many small, creamy white to greenish-yellow blooms. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Gentianales - **Family:** Apocynaceae - **Genus:** Asclepias ## Interesting facts - It thrives in dry, sunny places where other plants struggle to grow! - Its sticky white sap can seal cuts if applied carefully to skin! - The tricky flowers sometimes trap insect legs, helping with pollination! - This plant is vital for the amazing migration of Monarch butterflies! ## Special abilities - **Toxin Shield:** Engelmann's milkweed can produce special chemicals that make its leaves taste bad or toxic to most plant-eaters, helping it defend itself. - **Wind Sailor Seeds:** Engelmann's milkweed has seeds with silky plumes that catch the wind, allowing them to float far away to find new homes. - **Nectar Beacon:** Engelmann's milkweed produces sweet nectar that attracts many different insects, which then help it spread its pollen. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 20-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring to Early Fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Monarch caterpillars feed on its leaves for growth. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honey bees visit its flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** [Red milkweed beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-milkweed-beetle) (*Tetraopes femoratus*) — Milkweed beetles feed on its stems and leaves. - **Eats:** [Oleander aphid](https://www.snappit.app/explore/oleander-aphid) (*Aphis nerii*) — Oleander aphids suck sap from the plant's stems. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Engelmann's milkweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Engelmann's milkweed? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Engelmann's milkweed spread? 20-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on Engelmann's milkweed? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Engelmann's milkweed bloom? Late Spring to Early Fall ### Is Engelmann's milkweed edible? No ### Is Engelmann's milkweed toxic? Moderate ### What is Engelmann's milkweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [McClellan Creek National Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mcclellan-creek-national-grassland) — Texas, US · National Park - [Quartz Mountain Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quartz-mountain-nature-park) — Oklahoma, US · Park - [Rita Blanca National Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rita-blanca-national-grassland) — Texas, US · National Park [View all places to see Engelmann's milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/engelmanns-milkweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Engelmann's milkweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/engelmanns-milkweed)