Milkweeds are common wildflowers in the Mystic Shores area, but their varied forms may make them difficult to recognize. They are called milkweeds because they usually ooze a white sap when cut; after blooming, seedpods dramatically split open to reveal the seeds and white floss.
In addition to providing fascinating blooms, milkweeds are a larval food source for Monarch butterflies, and being perennials they will return year after year if left undisturbed.
Two common varieties are Antelope Horns and Green Milkweed Vine:
Antelope horns may grow as tall as 24 inches, but are usually around eight inches high; the blooms have little horn-like prongs that give them their name.
Green milkweed vine, or pearl milkweed, is a well-behaved twining vine, with a single white dot in the center of a five-pointed pale green dime-size flower.
Other milkweed varieties are adapted to our area and occur as native plants. The orange-flowered butterfly weed is part of the milkweed family, but is usually planted by gardeners rather than occurring naturally.
Information on these and other varieties is available at this link:
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/search.php?family=Asclepiadaceae&newsearch=true
Caution! Exercise caution when handling milkweeds or when children are present: the white sap may irritate skin, and the plants are reportedly toxic.
Viv,
ReplyDeleteYou got a nice compliment on this little article from the daughter of my new neighbors, Jerry and Becky Newman, on Pacific Place. Their grown family was down visiting (they live in Dripping Springs) and we met this afternoon on a walk. She is a fan of the website and just found your blog.
Clay
Clay - I'm glad the article was useful! Vivian
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