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Asclepias
spp.
Milkweed,
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias
curassavica, Butterfly Weed, Milkweed (pictured below) -- A tropical milkweed -- Not Native to Florida, but a major nectar source for
Monarch
Butterflies and food source for their caterpillars.
Usually found growing in sandy soils in disturbed areas.
Purists may not want to include this particular species
in their native garden, but for the less fussy this is a
must for your butterfly garden. With the exception of
the flower color, this plant looks every bit like its
native cousins.
Plant
Facts:
Common Name:
Asclepias
spp.
Botanical Name:
Milkweed,
Butterfly Weed
Plant Type:
Shrubby Perennial -- bushes out more with age.
Zones:
5-11
Height:
2-3'
Soil
Requirements: Usually found on
poor sandy disturbed soils, but produce more and larger
clumps of flowers when watered and planted in improved
soil.
Water Requirements: Drought
resistant once established.
Light Requirements: Full
sun to part shade.
Leaves:
Oval, lance-shaped, or long and narrow; stems
usually have a milky sap.
Flowers: Five-petaled
flowers in clusters, white, greenish, yellow, or orange
depending on species. Long blooming season usually from
spring through fall.
Fruit: Pods,
which split open when ripe allowing fluffy seeds to be
distributed by the wind.
Uses:
Essential for butterfly gardens where they
serve as larval and nectar plants.
Propagation:
Seeds, cuttings. Use caution as this plant will readily self sow in your
yard which may make it a weed problem.
Source:  Native Florida Plants: Low-Maintenance Landscaping and Gardening
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