Asclepias purpurascens Linnaeus. Common name: Purple Milkweed. Phenology: (Apr-) May-Jul (-Sep); Jul-Oct. Habitat: Openings in moist bottomlands and swamp forests, prairies and meadows (rich, wet to mesic), woodlands, perhaps mostly on soils derived from mafic or calcareous rocks. Distribution: NH and s. ON west to WI, IA, and KS, south to NC, nw. TN (Chester, Wofford, & Kral 1997), ne. AL (Keener et al. 2024), KY, AR, and OK.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, F, FNA14, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, Mo2, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, Keener et al (2024), Woodson (1954). Basionym: Asclepias purpurascens L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Asclepias purpurascens - FNA14
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
- Great Plains: FACU
- Midwest: FACU
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACU
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of openings in moist bottomlands and swamp forests, prairies and woodlands; perhaps mostly on soils derived from mafic or calcareous rocks.
Stems: Stems solitary, light green, minutely hairy or with lines of hairs between leaf nodes; leaks milky sap when bruised.
Leaves: Leaves opposite (6+ pairs), petiolate, oval to elliptic or oval-oblong, 3-6 1/2 in. long, the sides often curling up from the pink central vein, smooth above, softly hairy (at least along veins) beneath.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in terminal cluster of 1-6 rounded umbels, each 2-3 in. wide; deep purple to deep rose (greenish in bud), about 3/4 in. long, consisting of 5 strongly reflexed corolla lobes and a lighter colored central crown--composed of 5 2-parted appendages ("hood" and "horn")--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.
Fruits: Fruit a furry, lance-shaped to oval follicle containing tufted seeds.
Comments:
Height: 1 1/4-3 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of openings in moist bottomlands and swamp forests, prairies and woodlands; perhaps mostly on soils derived from mafic or calcareous rocks.
stems: Stems solitary, light green, minutely hairy or with lines of hairs between leaf nodes; leaks milky sap when bruised.
leaves: Leaves opposite (6+ pairs), petiolate, oval to elliptic or oval-oblong, 3-6 1/2 in. long, the sides often curling up from the pink central vein, smooth above, softly hairy (at least along veins) beneath.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in terminal cluster of 1-6 rounded umbels, each 2-3 in. wide; deep purple to deep rose (greenish in bud), about 3/4 in. long, consisting of 5 strongly reflexed corolla lobes and a lighter colored central crown--composed of 5 2-parted appendages ("hood" and "horn")--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.
fruits: Fruit a furry, lance-shaped to oval follicle containing tufted seeds.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern North America
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