Species Overview

Almost all of Florida’s 24 milkweeds are native, and at least two of them are native only to Florida (endemic). Milkweeds are frequently encountered throughout the state, and the rest of North America. Different species are found in very wet habitats as well as in very dry ones.

This one is commonly called butterfly weed; butterflies are greatly attracted. Butterfly weed is common throughout Florida, preferring to grow in dry sandy places: pasture fence rows and sandhill areas. It flowers into the fall.

There are a number of subspecies of Asclepias tuberosa that grow throughout the eastern half of the U.S., all the way to northern Canada (Kartesz, 1999).

View the herbarium specimen image from the University of Florida Herbarium Digital Imaging Projects.

Species Characteristics

Impacts