Asclepias viridiflora
This North American native perennial in the Apocynaceae family bears nodding umbels of greenish flowers in prairies, open woods, and roadsides, is drought-tolerant with unbranched stems up to 1–2 feet tall, produces wind-dispersed seeds from fluffy parachutes, has a stout taproot for drought resilience, and serves as a monarch caterpillar host.
Common Names
Green Milkweed, Green Comet Milkweed, Short Green Milkweed, Green-Flowered Milkweed
Summary
Green milkweed, also called Green Comet Milkweed, is a native North American perennial herb in the Apocynaceae with erect to ascending, typically unbranched stems and milky sap; leaves are opposite to irregularly alternate and linear to lanceolate, and dense, ball‑like umbels of green flowers with reflexed corolla lobes and no horns form on upper nodes, followed by slender follicle fruits, with blooms appearing May–August and a notable role as a monarch caterpillar host while attracting butterflies and native bees. It thrives in full sun and well‑drained soils, tolerating dry to dry‑mesic conditions across a range of soil types from sandy to rocky or clay, with sparing watering and generally no fertilization required. Propagation is by seed (fall sowing or stratified) or root cuttings, seeds carrying tufts of hair and benefiting from stratification; uses include native plant and prairie restoration plantings and butterfly habitats, leveraging nectar for pollinators and monarch caterpillar hosting.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-24 inches
Spread
18-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun, tolerates partial sun and partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-draining soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
About 6.5, Alkaline (calcareous) to circumneutral (high pH) soils
Bloom Color
Green to yellow-green
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Green, upper leaf surface medium green, lower leaf surface light green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees and butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Raf.
- Publication
- Med. Repos. 2(5): 360 (1808)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Gentianales
- Family
- Apocynaceae
- Genus
- Asclepias
Synonyms
Acerates bifida Acerates ivesii Acerates viridiflora Acerates viridiflora var. ivesii Asclepias lanceolata Asclepias nutans Asclepias viridiflora var. pubescenti-tomentosa Asclepias viridiflora var. viridiflora Acerates viridiflora var. lanceolata Asclepias viridiflora var. lanceolata Gomphocarpus viridiflorus Polyotus heterophyllus Acerates lanceolata Asclepias ivesii