Common Name:
Common milkweed
Scientific Name:
Asclepias syriaca
Unique Qualities:
Milkweed grows up to 1.5 metres tall and has oval-shaped leaves. The flower clusters are packed together with lots of blooms. The flowers are normally greenish-purple but some can also be white. Seedpods are quite distinctive because of their hairy and “warty” appearance.
Can be Seen:
Milkweed is found from Nova Scotia to southeastern Saskatchewan. It’s most common in southern Ontario. It’s also found throughout the eastern United States.
Likes to Hang Out:
Milkweed is a hardy plant that grows in fields, meadows, agricultural land, prairies, railway embankments and roadsides.
Benefits of the Plant:
Milkweed is the only food source for the larvae of monarch butterflies. In the past, milkweed was used in many Native remedies and the seedpods were collected to stuff pillows and jackets.
Status:
Milkweed’s status is healthy across its Canadian range. It is so healthy that it’s considered a harmful weed in Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan because it grows very quickly on farmland.
Find Out More @:
