Pronounced: as-KLEE-pee-as ek-sal-TAY-tuh (botanical Latin guide)
A tall woodland milkweed with broad opposite leaves and loose clusters of pale, drooping flowers.
Photograph by Brian Woolman / Where’s Wildlife. Tap to browse the photos.
Family: Apocynaceae
Bloom: June–July in the Upper Midwest
Height: 2–6 feet
Habitat: Rich deciduous woods, woodland openings and shaded edges
Other common names: Tall Milkweed
Scientific synonyms: Asclepias phytolaccoides
Bloom timing and height vary by location.
01 · White to pale pink flowers hanging on long slender stalks
02 · Broad opposite leaves with pointed tips
03 · Loose flower clusters in woodland shade
Rich deciduous woods, woodland openings and shaded edges. Look for flowers during june–july in the upper midwest.
Photograph a hanging flower cluster and a pair of opposite leaves; include the woodland setting.
The leaves support Monarch caterpillars, while the flowers offer nectar to visiting insects.
Its shaded habitat is a useful starting clue, but check leaves and flowers together.
The long, hanging stalks give the flower cluster an open, airy appearance.
Slender upright pods develop later in the season. Compare these with the flower photographs in the gallery.
Eastern Canada and north-central and eastern United States.
Observation maps show reported sightings, not the complete native range. Some recorded populations may be historical.
