Showy Milk Weed 7-31-23

Showy milk weed (Asclepias speciosa) is a milky-sapped perennial plant in the dogbane family. The striking flowers occur in dense umbells. Their corollas are reflexed and the central flower parts, five hoods with prominent hooks, form a star shape.

Monarch butterflies lay eggs that form caterpillars on the back of its leaves.These caterpillars are monophagic - they eat only the leaves of showy milk weed. We have seen very few monarchs this year so far.