Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect or ascending, stout, simple or sparingly branched above, very leafy, long-hairy; sap watery.
- Leaves
- Alternate, simple, short-stalked, numerous, crowded, oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2-4 inches long, 1/4 to 1 inch wide, shiny green and nearly glabrous above, velvety-hairy below; margins entire; tips pointed to rounded.
- Inflorescence
- Umbels, 1 to several, short-stalked or sessile, 6-25-flowered, terminal and in upper leaf axils.
- Flower
- 5-parted, about 1/2 inch tall; calyx lobes linear to lanceolate, green to purple-tinged; corolla lobes orange to red or yellow, bent downward; hoods erect; horns slender, needle-shaped; all similarly colored.
- Fruit
- Pods, spindle-shaped, 3-6 inches long, about 1/2 inch wide, nearly erect on downward-curved stalks, finely pubescent; seeds numerous, broadly oval, tufted with white hairs at tips.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Dry, sandy or rocky soils of prairies, roadsides, and waste places.
- Distribution
- East two-thirds of Kansas.
Practical Information
- Uses
- Native Americans and pioneers used the roots to treat respiratory problems, which is how the common name "pleurisy root" originated.
Additional Notes
Comments
The flowers of this plant attract butterflies and many other insects. Butterfly milkweed has a deep taproot, so it does not transplant easily. It will readily grow from seed. Formerly treated as Asclepiadaceae - Milkweed Family.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Apocynaceae - Dogbane Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- 1 to 3 feet
- Last Updated
- 2021-08-27
Color Groups
Pink, Red & Orange Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: June, July, August