# Milkweed (*Asclepias*) Milkweed is a special plant that butterflies love! It has pink flowers and pods filled with silky seeds that float in the wind. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Butterfly Weed, Silkweed ![Milkweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Asclepiascommon.JPG&width=800) Photo: Hardyplants at English Wikipedia, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepiascommon.JPG) ## Appearance The Milkweed is a tall plant with sturdy stems and large, oval leaves. Its clusters of small, star-shaped flowers are typically pink or purple, but can also be white. It's unique for its milky white sap that oozes when stems are broken. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Gentianales - **Family:** Apocynaceae - **Genus:** Asclepias ## Interesting facts - A single milkweed plant can produce hundreds of seeds, each ready to fly on the wind! - Ancient people crafted strong ropes and fabrics from milkweed's tough stem fibers! - During WWII, milkweed's fluffy seed fibers were used as buoyant stuffing for life vests! - Some clever insects can eat milkweed, absorb its toxins, and use them for their own defense! ## Special abilities - **Sticky Defense:** Milkweed has a milky sap that contains toxins and becomes sticky, helping it defend against hungry herbivores. - **Gliding Seeds:** Milkweed seeds have silky 'parachutes' that allow them to glide on the wind, spreading far and wide. - **Monarch Nursery:** Milkweed produces special chemicals, making it the only plant Monarch butterfly caterpillars can eat to survive. - **Sweet Nectar Lure:** Its abundant flowers produce sweet nectar that attracts many insects, ensuring it gets pollinated. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-200 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed leaves. - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honey bees visit flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** [Large Milkweed Bug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/large-milkweed-bug) (*Oncopeltus fasciatus*) — Feeds on seeds, stems, and sap of the plant. - **Eats:** Milkweed Aphid (*Aphis asclepiadis*) — Sucks sap from stems and undersides of leaves. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer sometimes browse on young milkweed shoots. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [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. - [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. - [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 - [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers) - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Enjoy milkweed from a distance and avoid touching or eating any part of the plant. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Milkweed? Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Milkweed? 60-200 cm ### How wide does Milkweed spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on Milkweed? 1-2 cm ### When does Milkweed bloom? Summer ### Is Milkweed edible? No ### Is Milkweed toxic? Moderate ### What is Milkweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Deutsch-Französischer Garten (Saarbrücken)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/deutsch-franzosischer-garten-saarbrucken) — Saarland, DE · Park ## 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: [Milkweed: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/milkweed)