Asclepias humistrata

Common Names

Pinewoods Milkweed, Sandhill Milkweed, Pink-Veined Milkweed, Fleshy Milkweed

Summary

Asclepias humistrata, commonly called Pinewoods Milkweed or Sandhill Milkweed, is a native perennial of the southeastern United States, it grows 1 to 3 feet tall with a similar spread, has decumbent to erect stems and opposite, clasping blue-green leaves with pink venation, and bears pink to white to purple flowers arranged in umbels that bloom in spring to summer, followed by long follicles containing seeds with tufts for wind dispersal, milky sap is produced and sandy habitats such as dunes, sandhills, pine barrens, dry open areas, coastal strands, and scrub provide the natural setting, cultivation favors full sun and dry sandy soils, with drought- and heat-tolerance, not salt-tolerant and hardy in USDA zones 8A to 9B, the plant is low maintenance, best grown from seed, and difficult to transplant due to a long taproot, it serves as a larval host for monarch and queen butterflies and provides nectar for bees and other pollinators, making it suitable for habitat restoration and pollinator-friendly landscapes, it is deer resistant.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1-3 feet

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 8a-9b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial shade

Soil Type

Sandy, dry, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained, dry, sandy soil.

Soil pH

5.1-7.5, Acid to neutral soil pH (pH <6.0 to 8.0)

Bloom Color

Pink

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Blue-green

Fall Foliage Color

Almost purple

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, root cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators