Dig into Plants: Whorled Milkweed

Whorled Milkweed

Other Common Names: Eastern Whorled Milkweed

Scientific Name: Asclepias verticillata

Native to Alabama: Yes

Other common milkweed species: Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Milkweed

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Learn More About...

BASIC INFORMATION

ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS

MAINTENANCE NOTES

HABITAT REQUIREMENTS

LEAF, FLOWER & SEED ID

PLANT LIFE CYCLE

Basic Plant Information

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I am a vascular plant with no woody stems above ground, so I am herbaceous.
I do not keep leaves year-round, so I am deciduous.
I die back in winter but regrow in spring for many seasons, so I am perennial.
I can grow 1 – 3 feet high and 1 – 2 feet wide.

Ecological Benefits

This plant provides food for:

Butterflies

Caterpillars
Monarch

Native Bees

Hummingbirds

Other Pollinators

Other Birds

Other Plants Found in Alabama with Similar Ecological Benefits:

Swamp Milkweed
(Asclepias incarnata)

White Milkweed
(Asclepias variegata)

Green Milkweed
(Asclepias viridis)

Pinewoods Milkweed
(Asclepias humistrata)

Common Milkweed
(Asclepias syriaca)

Butterfly Milkweed
(Asclepias tuberosa)

Swamp Forest Milkweed/
Aquatic Milkweed
(Asclepias perennis)

Tropical/Scarlet Milkweed
(Asclepias curassavica)

Maintenance Notes

Dormant in winter.
If pruning stems for cut flowers, sear the end with a lit match to seal the cut and prevent the sap from leaking out. If you wait to prune flowers, you can expect ornamental fruit which are also attractive in dried flower arrangements.
Cut plant back in late winter to early spring. Wait until you see new growth and cut the old stems back to about 6 inches from the ground.
Cutting flowers after they are spent will promote further blooms.
Dormant in winter.
If pruning stems for cut flowers, sear the end with a lit match to seal the cut and prevent the sap from leaking out. If you wait to prune flowers, you can expect ornamental fruit which are also attractive in dried flower arrangements.
Cut plant back in late winter to early spring. Wait until you see new growth and cut the old stems back to about 6 inches from the ground.
Cutting flowers after they are spent will promote further blooms.

Average watering: water two times per week during the summer and once per week during the rest of the year.

Habitat Requirements

This plant prefers:

Full Sun
(6+ hours of sun per day)

Part Sun/ Shade
(2-6 hours of sun per day)

Average Watering

Well-drained, Sandy, Loamy, Clay, or Moist Soil

Leaf, Flower & Seed Identification

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LEAF DESCRIPTION

Leaves are 2-3 inches long and narrow, arranged in whorls of 3-6 along stem; attached directly to the stem (sessile); underside is whitish-green with short hairs.

Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)


Shape: Lanceolate	Margin: Entire/Smooth

Arrangement: Alternate	Form: Simple

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FLOWER DESCRIPTION

Flowers are small (up to ¼ inch long), fragrant, and 5-petaled; found in umbrella-shaped clusters of about 7-20 flowers.

Flower Shape Chart (JPG)


Color: Greenish-white	Shape: Tubular	Bloom Months: May – Sep

Native Plant Trust Go Botany – Louis M. Landry

SEED DESCRIPTION

Plant spreads by:
Seeds and Rhizomes/ Tubers/ Roots & Shoots
Silky-haired seeds are dispersed by wind; underground rhizomes spread and create new clumps of plants


Type: Fruit – Dry Seed Pod	Description: Fruit is smooth, narrow seed pod about 3-4 inches long and 0.5 inches wide; pod splits open when mature releasing flat, oval, brown seeds with long tufts of white hair	Months in Seed: Fall – Winter

Plant Life Cycle

Plant Life Cycle:

All plants start life as a seed.
The seed turns into a sprout when it grows roots.
The sprout becomes a seedling as grows a stem and leaves above the ground.
After the seedling becomes an adult plant it will grow flowers.
After the flowers finish blooming, each flower turns into a seed.
When the seeds fall down to the ground, the plant life cycle starts again.
Each seed can become a plant if it has the food, water and space that it needs to grow.

General Plant Life Cycle – Dreamstime

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Quick Fact Sheet
(Condensed Species Info)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Ready as-is PDF

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Ready as-is PDF

QR Code
(Links to this Webpage)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Editable Word Doc

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Editable Word Doc

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