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Morphology
- Stem
- Vine, slender, twining, trailing or climbing on other plants and trees, simple or branched, glabrous or with lines of pubescence; sap milky, sticky.
- Leaves
- Opposite, simple, triangular to ovate, 1 to 5 inches long, 1 to 4 inches wide, glabrous; margins entire; tip pointed; base heart-shaped; stalk 1/2 to 3 inches long.
- Inflorescence
- Cymes, few to numerous, 5- to 40-flowered, in leaf axils; stalks stout, up to 2 inches long.
- Flower
- Calyx lobes lanceolate, green or purplish; corolla fragrant, white to cream, up to 1/45 inch long; lobes 5, petal-like, oblong to lance-oblong.
- Fruit
- Pod, narrowly lanceolate or spindle-shaped, 3 to 6 inches long, .6 to 1.2 inch thick, minutely hairy to glabrous, tubercles absent; seeds many, ovate, flattened, pale brown, tufted with white silky hairs.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Waste areas, disturbed sites, edges of woods, stream banks, gardens, cultivated fields, and roadsides; all soil types but often in calcareous soils.
- Distribution
- East 2/3 of Kansas.
Practical Information
- Toxicity
- Related African and Australian species are toxic to livestock. North American species are not generally considered a problem.
Additional Notes
Comments
Honeyvine milkweed can be a nuisance weed in no-tilled row crops. It has an extensive root system that diverts moisture and will lower crop yields. It can be dificult to eradicate. The seeds are wind dispersed.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Asclepiadaceae - Milkweed Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- Trailing vine 6 feet or longer
- Last Updated
- 2007-11-12
Color Groups
White, Green & Greenish White Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: June, July, August