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Asclepias longifolia Michaux. Longleaf Milkweed, Savanna Milkweed. Phen: (Apr-) May-Jun; Jun-Jul. Hab: Wet pine savannas. Dist: DE (formerly) south to s. FL, west to e. LA.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: A. longifolia and A. hirtella are closely related; the two taxa have sometimes been treated as distinct only at the rank of subspecies (see synonymy) or as "very distinct varieties" (Turner 2009).

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, Fl5, GW2, K1, K4, RAB, Tx, Va, WH3, Woodson (1954); = Acerates longifolia (Michx.) Elliott – G, Tat; = Asclepias longifolia Michx. ssp. longifolia – Farmer & Bell (1985); = Asclepias longifolia Michx. var. longifolia – K3, Turner (2009b); ? Acerates floridana (Lam.) Hitchc. – S

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Great Plains: FAC
  • Midwest: UPL
  • Northcentral & Northeast: UPL

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

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image of plant© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Jay Horn source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Jay Horn source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial of coastal wet pine savannas and flatwoods.

Stems: Stems solitary or clumped, unbranched, smooth or minutely hairy; leaks milky sap when bruised.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile or nearly so, linear to linear-lance-shaped, 3-5 in. long, smooth or rough-hairy on veins beneath; leak milky sap when bruised.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers on rough-hairy stalks in terminal and upper axillary umbels (10-30 flowered), greenish-white tinted with rose, about 3/8 in. long, consisting of 5 strongly reflexed, greenish, pink/purple tipped corolla lobes and a central crown--composed of 5 "hoods" (no "horn" in this species)--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.

Fruits: Fruit an erect, slender lance-shaped follicle containing tufted seeds.

Comments:

Height: 1/2-2 ft

plant sale text: Longleaf milkweed has thin, narrow leaves and is fairly inconspicuous until it flowers in early to mid-summer. The creamy white flowers have interesting purplish tips. Longleaf milkweed naturally occurs in open, moist pinelands and savannas throughout the Southeast. This milkweed is not drought tolerant, as it requires moist soils. Milkweeds are best known as the larval host plants for Monarch caterpillars. They are also popular with butterfly gardeners because they attract many pollinators and beneficial insects with their nectar. They support up to 12 species of lepidoptera.

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial of coastal wet pine savannas and flatwoods.

stems: Stems solitary or clumped, unbranched, smooth or minutely hairy; leaks milky sap when bruised.

leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile or nearly so, linear to linear-lance-shaped, 3-5 in. long, smooth or rough-hairy on veins beneath; leak milky sap when bruised.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers on rough-hairy stalks in terminal and upper axillary umbels (10-30 flowered), greenish-white tinted with rose, about 3/8 in. long, consisting of 5 strongly reflexed, greenish, pink/purple tipped corolla lobes and a central crown--composed of 5 "hoods" (no "horn" in this species)--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.

fruits: Fruit an erect, slender lance-shaped follicle containing tufted seeds.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: Southeastern United States

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