by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages
Asclepiadaceae | |
Blunt-leaved Milkweed, Clasping Milkweed, Sand Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) Person Co., NC 13 Jun 2006 Common in and near various (usually dry) woodlands statewide in NC, note the wavy leaf margins and fairly loose inflourescence. | |
Blunt-leaved Milkweed, Clasping Milkweed, Sand Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) Person Co., NC 13 Jun 2006 | |
Blunt-leaved Milkweed, Clasping Milkweed, Sand Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) Person Co., NC 13 Jun 2006 | |
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Washington Co., NC 19 Jun 04 Shown here with a Palamedes Swallowtail, this Summer to Fall blooming species is a good nectar plant for butterflies and is found statewide in moist areas in NC. | |
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) Johnston Co., NC 29 May 2005 This milkweed is listed by the NC Natural Heritage Program as Significantly Rare in NC (known only from a few counties from the mountains to the western coastal plain). | |
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) same as above | |
Redring Milkweed (Asclepias variegata) Johnston Co., NC 29 May 2005 Widespread in NC | |
Redring Milkweed (Asclepias variegata) same as above | |
Redring Milkweed (Asclepias variegata) Person Co., NC 13 June 2006 | |
Longleaf Milkweed (Asclepias longifolia) Johnston Co., NC29 May 2005 Uncommon in the NC coastal plain, this species is on the NC Natural Heritage Program Watch List. | |
Longleaf Milkweed (Asclepias longifolia) Johnston Co., NC29 May 2005 | |
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 15 June 2006 In NC, Common Milkweed is indeed common in the mountains, less common in the piedmont, and rare in the coastal plain. | |
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 15 June 2006 Like many milkweeds, this species is an excellent nectar plant for butterflies. | |
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) with Oleander Aphid (Aphis nerii) infestation Orange Co., NC 15 June 2006 Often found feeding on oleander, wax plant, and many milkweeds, the Oleander Aphis (also called the Milkweed Aphid) is golden yellow with black legs. Interestingly, all individuals of this aphid world-wide are thought to be females, and reproduction occurs by way of natural parthenogenetic cloning. | |
Oleander Aphid (Aphis nerii) infestation on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 15 June 2006 Natural predators of Oleander Aphids include parasitoid wasps, various fly larvae, and various beetles. Looks like this ladybird beetle is testing the dinner plate! | |
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Moore Co., NC 10 June 2006 True to its name, Butterfly Weed attracts many species of butterflies (like the Gray Hairstreaks shown here). | |
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Caswell Co., NC 17 June 2006 Fairly common statewide in NC along roadsides, powerlines, pastures, etc. | |
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Caswell Co., NC 17 June 2006 | |
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Person Co., NC 13 June 2006 | |
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Caswell Co., NC 17 June 2006 Butterfly Weed color varies from a deep, rich coral red-orange to a pale yellow-orange. | |
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) 1 July 2005 As this cluster planted in my yard shows, it makes an excellent native addition to one's garden. | |
Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) Person Co., NC 13 June 2006 Uncommon throughout the piedmont and western coastal plain of NC, Green Milkweed is found along woodland edges and disturbed areas, often growing in high pH soils. | |
Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) Person Co., NC 13 June 2006 | |
Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.
Created on ... May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com