Common Milkweed

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Plant portrait: A plant whose flowers, leaves, seed pods, and drifting silk each hold a different chapter of the butterfly year.

Garden rhythm: Species-dependent perennial or tender perennial; generally sun and good drainage.

Garden companions: Essential larval host for monarch and queen butterflies; flowers also feed many pollinators.

Worth noticing: Milkweed sap can irritate skin and eyes and is toxic if eaten. Species identification matters because native and tropical milkweeds require different stewardship in North Texas.