Southern milkweed (Asclepias viridula) is native to some scattered north Florida counties and a few sites in neighboring counties in Alabama and Georgia. It is listed as a state threatened species and is nowhere common. It occurs in moist to wet open habitats. In Florida, it is most often encountered within wet prairies and bogs within the Apalachicola National Forest.
Southern (aka green) milkweed is a perennial that dies back to the ground in winter and reemerges in the spring. Its thin wiry single stem eventually reaches a mature height of about 2 feet. Its thin leaves are opposite on the stem - which easily differentiates it from whorled milkweed (A. verticillata) as well as the huge difference in habitat preference. The whitish-green flowers occur near the top of the stems within the leaf axils. Like other milkweeds, it is pollinated mostly by butterflies and small bees. It also serves as a host for milkweed butterflies.
Very few of our 22 native milkweeds are propagated by commercial nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries. This one is not a good candidate owing to its specialized habitat requirements, its somewhat unshowy flowers and its general rarity. If hiking through an open bog or wet prairie in Florida in summer, look for it and just admire it for being what it is.
These photos are used by permission by my friend, Floyd Griffith.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please let me know if this site and the various postings have been useful to you.