Asclepias syriaca

Common Milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca )

The Common Milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca ) is a species in the subfamily of the milkweed family ( Asclepiadoideae ) within the family of the dogbane family ( Apocynaceae ). The plant is poisonous. In German-speaking and the trivial name Canadian Milkweed is occupied.

Features

The Common Milkweed is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the stature heights of 1 to 2 meters. It is formed a taproot and rhizome. The upright and hairy stem is rarely branched. All plant parts contain latex.

The against-constant leaves are stalked, 15-30 cm long and 5-11 cm wide. The leaf blade is elliptic to ovate. The lower leaf surface hairy tomentose. The leaf margin is smooth.

20 to 130 flowers are borne in inflorescences doldigen. The stalked flowers are hermaphrodite. The crown is purplish or greenish white. The corona segments are oblong - ovate and 3-5 millimeters long.

The fruit stalks are bent downward. The follicles are 8-15 cm long and horn-shaped. The fruit surface is soft thorny. The 6 to 10 mm long, brown seeds have a silky hair.

Flowers Ecology

Insects falling behind with their nectar removal with her legs in terminal cases of Gynostegiums, a Verwachsungsproduktes of gynoecium and androecium; in the liberation of the clamp traps stick to their legs pollinia.

Occurrence

The Common Milkweed is found in fields, meadows and roadsides in eastern North America. In Europe, this species is wild.

In Austria the kind occurs in Lower Austria and inconstant in Burgenland and in Vienna. It serves or served here as an ornamental plant and bee pasture and also tentatively as a plant for the production of fibers and rubber. In the Pannonian area the kind frequently from the cultures are overgrown and is, as a naturalized area.

Use

The Common Milkweed is rarely used as an ornamental plant in perennial beds, as well as bee forage plant and for obtaining the seed hairs as cushioning material. Earlier trials were held on the use of a fiber and rubber plant. The species is in cultivation since at least 1629.

The still green fruit is marketed on the basis of their similarity to budgies or small parrots as a decorative object. Cutting the fruit of the plant, the stem remains at the follicle. Thickening of the fruit in the smaller of two black dots are glued on both sides, which imitate the eyes. Then you hang the fruit of 180 degrees to their preferred growth direction is rotated by a thread. In markets you can find these decorative items also on the edge of a bowl of water hanging.

Pictures

Documents

• Scott Hagood: Asclepias syriaca - Description and images at Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide. (English )
• Eckhart J. Hunter, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd Müller, K. (ed.): Rothmaler Exkursionsflora of Germany. Volume 5: Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8.
• Description and images of the Art
• Carl Linnaeus: Species Plantarum. Vol.2, 1st Edition, Lars Salvius, Stockholm 1753 (Description of A. syriaca on p.214 ) online at botanicus.org