FNPS Plant Database
Asclepias humistrata
Nomenclature
Common Name:
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Family:
Apocynaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
Size:
Life Span:
Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
Fruit Color:
Phenology:
winter dormant
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Small specimen plant.
Considerations:
Toxic if eaten unless boiled with two waters. Tends to sprawl.
Availability:
Propagation:
Difficult to transplant. Best grown from seed.
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry
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Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Very long very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Unknown
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Sand
Soil pH:
Suitable to Grow In:
8A,8B,9A,9B
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
Larval host to the Monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus ), Queen butterfly ( Danaus gilippus ) and others.
Attracts many pollinators, especially native bees.
Native Habitats:
Sandhill, clayhill, scrub.
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
General Comments:
Interesting pink veined foliage, showy flowers. Often lies on its side with the flowers held somewhat above the rest of the plant.
Has an extremely deep taproot. Is notoriously difficult to transplant.
Citations:
Huegel, Craig, N. 2012. Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Minno, Marc and Maria Minno. 1999. Florida butterfly gardening. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Tras, Pamela. 2001. Gardening for Florida's butterflies. Great Outdoors Publishing, St. Petersburg, FL.
Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.
