Asclepias verticillata (whorled milkweed) is a memeber of the Apocynaceae family and, like other milkweeds, plays host to monarch butterfly larvae and is attractive to pollinators.
All parts of this species are toxic in large quantities. The stems ooze a milky sap when broken open. A. verticillata blooms from summer until early fall and produces fragrant white flowers.
|Botanical Name||Asclepias verticillata|
|Common Name||whorled milkweed|
|USDA Zone||4 thru 9|
|Light Requirement||Full Sun|
|Season(s) of interest||summer, fall|
|Height and Spread||1-2.5ft x 1-2ft (30-75cm x 30-60cm)|
|Attracts Wildlife||Hosts Caterpillars of Butterflies/Moths, Attracts Pollinators, Rarely Browsed by Mammalian Herbivores|
|Additional Information||Native to Chicago Region. Provides food for Several Host-Specific Species Including the Monarch Butterfly.|
|Location in Lurie Garden||North Dark Plate|