Whorled Milkweed

asclepias verticillata

Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) is an elegant, slender perennial wildflower native to eastern and central North America. Unlike its broader-leafed milkweed relatives, this species features thin, needle-like leaves arranged in delicate whorls around a single, erect stem. It stands out in late summer with its clusters of small, fragrant white-to-greenish-white flowers. This plant plays a vital ecological role, acting as a crucial host plant for monarch caterpillars and a magnet for various native pollinators, while also producing a toxic sap that deters generalist herbivores.

生息地: Found in dry, open woodlands, prairies, pastures, and along roadsides, often thriving in poor, sandy, or rocky soils.

外見

This herbaceous perennial typically grows to a height of 30 to 90 cm, with narrow, linear leaves measuring 5 to 8 cm long that grow in whorls of 3 to 6 around the stem. In mid-to-late summer, small flat-topped clusters of star-shaped, greenish-white to cream-colored flowers bloom from the upper leaf axils. Each individual flower is roughly 6 mm wide, exhibiting five reflexed petals and a central crown. Following pollination, it produces slender, upright seed pods that dry and split to release fluffy, wind-dispersed seeds.

界Plantae門Tracheophyta綱Magnoliopsida目Gentianales科Apocynaceae属Asclepias

Whorled Milkweed

カテゴリ

植物

レア度

Common

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

スナップ

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おもしろい事実

It is one of the latest-blooming milkweeds, making it an essential late-season nectar source for migrating Monarch butterflies and native bees.

The seeds have silky hairs called floss, which during World War II were collected by school children to stuff military life jackets when traditional materials were scarce.

Whorled Milkweed is one of the most toxic milkweed species to livestock, particularly sheep and horses, earning it a reputation as a rangeland weed.

特殊能力

Produces toxic cardenolides in its milky sap, which deter herbivores and are sequestered by monarch larvae for their own defense.

Utilizes a deep, fibrous root system to access deep water reserves, helping it survive intense droughts and wildfires.

Equips its seeds with fine, silky hairs that catch wind currents, allowing them to disperse over long distances to colonize new open sites.

サイズと詳細

長さ: 30-90 cm
寿命: 3-10 年

食性と食事

As a photosynthetic plant, Whorled Milkweed synthesizes its own organic compounds using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and mineral nutrients from the soil.

主な食物

Sunlight
Water
Carbon Dioxide
Soil Minerals

生態系とのつながり

eaten by

Monarch Butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Larvae feed exclusively on the foliage of milkweeds, gaining chemical protection from predators.

mutualism

Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Adult bees visit the flowers for nectar, successfully pollinating the plant in the process.

特徴

このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。

別名

まだ別名はありません。

コレクション

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安全性

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。

よくある質問

Whorled Milkweedを見分けるには？

Whorled Milkweedを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。

Whorled Milkweedの長さは何ですか？

30-90 cm

Whorled Milkweedの寿命は何ですか？

3-10 年

Whorled Milkweedは何を食べますか？

As a photosynthetic plant, Whorled Milkweed synthesizes its own organic compounds using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and mineral nutrients from the soil.

Whorled Milkweedは通常どこに生息していますか？

Found in dry, open woodlands, prairies, pastures, and along roadsides, often thriving in poor, sandy, or rocky soils.