Showy Milkweed

Asclepias speciosa Torr.

Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed Family)

young plants from creeping roots in spring ▲▼

flowering stem ▲▼

flowers ▲▼

young fruit ▲

·         Showy Milkweed: (mentioned on p. 55 in Weeds of the Great Plains, nor Weeds of the Northeast)

o   similar to common milkweed, with oval leaves, but often more pointed leaf tip

o   also has creeping roots to allow it to form colonies

o   flowers have longer “hoods” extending out from outer petals and larger white “hooks” that surround the center of each flower compared to common milkweed

o   can be a problem in reduced tillage western row-crops—not a problem in Missouri