Etymology: Asclepias: named for the Greek god of healing Asklepios
Plants: erect, perennial, 8"-20" tall forb, milky juice; stems with downy lines, unbranched to the inflorescence; fibrous, clustered roots
Leaves: many whorls of 3-6, stalkless, linear leaves with pointed tips and bases
Flowers: white to greenish, 5-parted, 1/4" tall, awl-shaped horns longer than the hoods; inflorescence stalked umbels from the upper leaf nodes; blooms July-Sept.
Fruits: slender, erect pods from erect stalks; many seeds on silky hairs
Habitat: dry; prairies, fields, roadsides, woods; in sandy soil; spreading northward
Hazardous: Careful, this plant is hazardous!
Conservation Status: Native

Floristic Rating: Coefficient of Conservatism = 2 Atlas of the Wisconsin Prairie and Savanna Flora: by T.S. Cochrane & H.H. Iltis: habitat, distribution infomation / flowering and fruiting times USDA Plants Database: Federal Distribution and detailed information including photos Dan Tenaglia's The Missouri Flora: Fabulous photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leave arrangement key. USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS): Images of seeds, fruits, embryos, etc. Illinois Wildflowers: Wonderful photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leaf arrangement key