Asclepias quadrifolia Jacquin. Common name: Fourleaf Milkweed, Whorled Milkweed. Phenology: (Mar-) Apr-Aug (-Sep); May-Nov. Habitat: Moist to dryish forests and forest margins, most common on mafic and calcareous substrates. Distribution: NH and NY west to IN, south to NC, n. GA, n. AL, and c. TN; also from w. IL west to MO, south to AR and OK.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, F, FNA14, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mo2, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Va, W, Woodson (1954). Basionym: Asclepias quadrifolia Jacq. 1767
Links to other floras: = Asclepias quadrifolia - FNA14
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Heliophily ⓘ: 3
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© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of moist to dryish forests and forest margins, most common on mafic and calcareous substrates.
Stems: Stems solitary, slender, unbranched, typically with only 3 leaf-bearing nodes and hairy in lines between nodes; leaks milky sap when bruised.
Leaves: Leaves opposite above and below and in a whorl of 4 at the middle node, petiolate, oval or lance-shaped, to 5 in. long, thin-textured, sparingly hairy on veins beneath.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in a small, domed terminal umbel and often several upper axillary umbels; pale pink to greenish (rarely white), about 1/2 in. long, consisting of 5 spreading or reflexed corolla lobes and a central crown--composed of 5 2-parted appendages ("hood" and "horn")--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.
Fruits: Fruit a smooth, narrow, erect follicle containing tufted seeds.
Comments:
Height: 8-20 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of moist to dryish forests and forest margins, most common on mafic and calcareous substrates.
stems: Stems solitary, slender, unbranched, typically with only 3 leaf-bearing nodes and hairy in lines between nodes; leaks milky sap when bruised.
leaves: Leaves opposite above and below and in a whorl of 4 at the middle node, petiolate, oval or lance-shaped, to 5 in. long, thin-textured, sparingly hairy on veins beneath.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in a small, domed terminal umbel and often several upper axillary umbels; pale pink to greenish (rarely white), about 1/2 in. long, consisting of 5 spreading or reflexed corolla lobes and a central crown--composed of 5 2-parted appendages ("hood" and "horn")--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.
fruits: Fruit a smooth, narrow, erect follicle containing tufted seeds.
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