Curtiss' Milkweed - Asclepias curtissii

Curtiss' milkweed is an extremely rare endemic species, listed as endangered by the state and confined to deep excessively well-drained sandy habitats in the peninsula.   Although widespread throughout the peninsula, its populations are widely scattered and localized.  It occurs only in excessively well drained sands with lots of sunlight.  

This deciduous species eventually becomes quite long and lanky.  The thick main stems may reach 2-4 feet long, but they often lean over and this makes them seem shorter.  The leaves are deep green and oval in shape, usually with a noticeable undulating margin. 

Flowering occurs in the summer.  The few flower heads (umbels) are confined to the ends of the main stalk and consist of 20-30 individual flower buds.  These open to become clear white in color.

Although Curtiss' milkweed would make an excellent addition to a butterfly garden, given its abundant foliage and large stature, I am not aware of anyone ever propagating it.  Perhaps this will change someday given the increased interest in native plants and butterfly gardening.  Until then, we can only hope that the wild populations will be protected sufficiently to maintain this interesting and truly Florida species in our flora.

Largeflower Milkweed - Asclepias connivens

I love this milkweed despite its rather small stature and simple greenish flowers.  Largeflower milkweed (Asclepias connivens) occurs throughout Florida and much of the Southeastern Coastal Plain in open wet flatwoods and savannahs.  It seems to require these open and seasonally wet conditions to thrive and its populations are always widely scattered and localized. 

Like other members of this genus in Florida, largeflower milkweed is deciduous and dies back to the ground each winter.  When it emerges the next spring, it is difficult to notice amongst the surrounding vegetation.  The stem is rather stout, but often leans; making it shorter in stature than its actual length of 2-2.5 feet.  Along the stalk are short linear leaves, opposite each other.

Flowering occurs in the summer.  As its common name implies, largeflower milkweed produces large flower buds.  Individual blooms are almost 1 inch across, rather rounded in appearance, and light green in color.  Only a few flowers occur in any one head and only a few heads occur - near the end of the main stem.

Largeflower milkweed is unusual in appearance, but may not be "attractive" enough to ever warrant its commercial production.  I know of no one who has ever offered this species for sale and I have never been fortunate enough to stumble upon one with ripe seed to try it myself.  I suspect it is a difficult species in cultivation because in nature it is always extremely localized.  If you are fortunate enough to try it yourself, plant it in open sunny areas where the soils are moist to nearly wet during the summer rainy season, collect some seed, and drop me an e-mail...

Savannah Milkweed - Asclepias pedicellata

Savannah milkweed (Asclepias pedicellata) is yet another diminutive milkweed that largely goes unnoticed in the Florida landscape.  It occurs statewide in open upland habitats, such as pine flatwoods and prairie.  It is not especially drought tolerant, but prefers average conditions during much of the year and moist soils during the summer rainy season.

Savannah milkweed is deciduous during the winter.  It emerges in the spring, but is easy to miss as it never reaches a height much taller than about 1 foot.  Its leaves are linear and only about 1-2 inches long. They also are opposite on the stem.

Flowering occurs in the summer.  Small heads of flower buds near the top of the main stem open to become rather plain yellowish flowers.  They are quite distinctive because the petals do not curve backwards, and each is urn shaped. 

I am not aware of anyone ever offering savannah milkweed for sale commercially and it is not likely to ever generate much demand because of its size and lack of showy blooms.  It would make an interesting milkweed to a mixed wildflower planting, however.  We have not grown this species at Hawthorn Hill and do not intend to add it unless someone inquires.

Florida Milkweed - Asclepias feayi

Florida or feay's milkweed (Asclepias feayi) is a small, but rather distinctive member of this genus.  It is endemic to Florida and found only within the southern half of the state.  It is native to well-drained upland habitats; especially xeric flatwoods and sandhills with high levels of sunlight.

Florida milkweed is a perennial which dies back to the ground each winter.  It emerges in the early spring, but often goes unnoticed until it blooms in mid-summer because of its small stature and thin foliage.  At maturity, Florida milkweed rarely stands taller than about 2 feet.  Its thin leaves are several inches long and mostly opposite each other on the stem.

Blooming occurs during the summer.  Like the fewflowered milkweed (A. lanceolata), the flower heads are few and confined mostly to the top of the main stem.  Each contains less than 10 white flowers with a bit of purple near the center.  Unlike most milkweed flowers, the petals are not strongly recurved, but point outward - giving each a star-like quality.

Because of its small stature, Florida milkweed is not the first choice for butterfly gardening enthusiasts.  The caterpillars would quickly devour it; especially if there was not sufficient quantity around.  Its somewhat subdued flowers are also not likely to put it in great demand, but despite all of this, it is a very interesting species and well worth adding to a mixed wildflower planting.  Like many of Florida's upland species, it requires good drainage and plenty of sun to thrive.  Place it in small clusters near the front of the garden and mix it with other species, small in stature.

I am not aware of anyone that has ever grown this species commercially and we have not had the good fortune to find seed at the right time yet.  But, we continue to hope...  If you are interested, let us know and we will increase our effort.

Fewflower Milkweed - Asclepias lanceolata

Fewflower milkweed is a tall thin species with thread-like linear leaves and small heads of bright orange blooms.  It occurs throughout Florida in open marshes, wet prairies and savannahs, and in much of the Southeast.  For much of the year, this milkweed is inconspicuous within the surrounding foliage.  It is completely deciduous during the winter and when it emerges in the spring it consists of a very thin stem and long thin opposite leaves.  Eventually, it reaches a mature height of about 4-5 feet. 

Flowering occurs in early summer.  Atop the main stem and on a very few side branches, flower buds are formed which contain less than 10 flowers each.  These flowers may be small in number, but are a brilliant orange to nearly brick red in color. 

Fewflowered milkweed makes a very interesting addition to a mixed wildflower planting in open wet-soil conditions.  It does not thrive if soils remain dry for too long, but it will handle part sun reasonably well.  We have grown this species for several years in our wetland wildflower planting, but it is a bit touchy concerning conditions and we have not propagated it to any real extent.  If you are interested in it, please let us know and we will make a greater effort to bring it into cultivation.

Longleaf Milkweed - Asclepias longifolia

Longleaf milkweed (Asclepias longifolia) is found throughout Florida, and much of the Southeast, in moist to wet pinelands and savannahs.  In these habitats, it receives plenty of sun and moisture.  During much of the year, this milkweed is rather inconspicuous.  As a deciduous species, it spends its winter dormant and beneath the soil surface.  In early spring, it emerges, but is never much more than a few thin basal leaves.  By late spring, each plant stands about 2 feet tall with a rigid, but thin, main stem and numerous 3-6 inch linear leaves. 

The flowers occur in round umbels; several near the top of the main stem.  They are small and whitish.  The tips of the strongly recurved petals and the tips of the corollas are often a purplish pink.  Blooming is most common in late spring, but may occur as late as early summer.  Seed production follows about 6 weeks later.

Longleaf milkweed has never been offered (to my knowledge, anyway) for sale commercially by any nursery associated with AFNN (Association of Florida Native Nurseries) and it is not likely to as it is not as showy as other native milkweeds and is rather habitat sensitive.  Despite that, this species has a charm all to itself and would warrant inclusion in a mixed wildflower savannah or wet meadow planting.  It is easy to grow from seed if you are lucky enough to time it correctly.  Longleaf milkweed is not a species I have ever grown in my home landscape, but we could search for it for propagation at Hawthoorn Hill if there was interest.

Purple Milkweed - Asclepias humistrata

Purple milkweed (Asclepias humistrata) is native to the northern two-thirds of Florida and resident to habitats with excessively well-drained sands and full sun. It is a multi-stemmed deciduous perennial which dies back each fall and emerges in the early spring. Purple milkweed is a robust, but sprawling plant which sends its stems in all directions across the ground. At maturity, these stems may be more than two feet long. Its common name comes from the color of its large arrow-shaped leaves. They are a purplish green with pink-purple veins throughout. Purple milkweed blooms in early summer at the ends of each stem. The flowers themselves are a dull pinkish white and they occur in large rounded heads which are held about one foot off the ground. Purple milkweed is not the most beautiful of our native milkweeds, but its variegated foliage and large flower masses make it an interesting addition to a large planting area. Do not attempt it in small spaces as it will overwhelm them. This is a difficult species to maintain in containers and the landscape. It will rot quickly if planted in soils that stay too moist, but if you have excessively well-drained sands in a sunny location and a bit of space, purple milkweed provides a great many benefits to a mixed wildflower planting.