whorled milkweed
Asclepias verticillata
USDA zones3 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size1 to 2.5 feet tall12 to 24 inches wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- White
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) is a perennial for borders, pollinator gardens, and meadows. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Small, greenish-white flowers form flat-topped clusters near the top of the stem, and butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees visit the blooms. Keep it away from livestock, because the plant is toxic to them. Deer usually look elsewhere for a meal.
Pairs well with Little bluestem, Brown-eyed Susan, and Indian grass.
Native range
United States.