Fewflower milkweed
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Asclepias lanceolata
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Apocynaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower and butterfly gardens. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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An occasional but widespread understory herb in open freshwater wetlands and pinelands. |
Availability: |
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Rarely grown by native plant nurseries. |
Description: |
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Erect medium wildflower, with narrow leaves; barely noticeable when not in flower. |
Height: |
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Typically 2-3 feet in height. Taller than broad. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Southeastern United States north to New Jersey, west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland. |
Habitats: |
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Wet pinelands and marl prairies. |
Soils: |
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Wet to moist, seasonally inundated calcareous or sandy soils, without humus. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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Red and orange. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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Summer. |
Fruit: |
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Slender pod (follicle) with wind dispersed seeds. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Larval host plant for monarch (Danaus plexippus) and queen (Danaus gilippus) butterflies; possible larval host of soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies. Nectar plant for monarch (Danaus plexippus) and other butterflies. Also attracts bees and other insect pollinators. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seed. |
Comments: |
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An excellent butterfly plant for wet spots in the garden. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page and Monarchs & Milkweed flyer. See also a 2022 post on the Treasure Coast Natives blog about Asclepias lanceolata's relationship with the Queen butterfly. |
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George D. Gann, 14 January 2015 In habitat, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
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