Asclepias amplexicaulis Sm.

Clasping Milkweed; Blunt Leaf Milkweed; Curly Milkweed

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Clasping Milkweed is a native herbaceous perennial in the Dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Clasping Milkweed occurs in sandhills, in dry pine or mixed pine/hardwood forests, in rocky woods, and on roadsides. It is a perennial with a deep tap root. From 1-6 stems are produced from each root crown. The stems are unbranched, erect, glabrous and glaucous. All parts of the plant release a white milky latex sap when damaged. The leaves are opposite, sessile, auriculate clasping, oblong to ovate in outline, with undulate-crispate margins. The leaves are dark green and glabrous above and light green and glaucous below. The leaves are relatively thick, and the midrib is lighter in color than the blade tissue on the upper surface and stands out. Flowers are produced in a terminal umbel of 20-80 flowers. The corolla is purple-brown to greenish with reflexed lobes. The corona is reddish-purple with horns as long as the hoods. The fruit is a follicle with multiple flat, disc-shaped brown seed. The seed have a tuff of white hairs at their apex that aids in wind dispersal. Clasping Milkweed is a larval food plant for Monarch Butterflies. Because of its long taproot, Clasping Milkweed is difficult to transplant or to grow in pots. Many seed companies offer milkweed seed for sale. Plants can be started in the garden where they will grow by planting the seed in the autumn and looking for seedlings in the spring. Plants can also be started in pots. Seed require 6-8 weeks of cold stratification to germinate and can be placed on a damp paper towel in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator to satisfy this requirement. The stratified seed can then be planted in tall pots to allow for the growth of the tap root. Transplant young plants into the garden before the tap root reaches the bottom of the pot. Clasping Milkweed prefers a deep, well-draining soil in full to partial sun. Plants are drought tolerant once established and will grow in nutrient poor soils.--A.

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Native

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