Native Milkweeds of Oklahoma

Scientific Name Common Name # of counties where Habitat, part of state Growing at Kerr Notes occurrence has been where it most occurs Center? documented

Asclepias amplexicaulis Clasping milkweed 32 West central

Asclepias arenaria Sand milkweed 24 West

Asclepias asperula Antelope horns, 47 Dry soils of prairies, Planting seed in spider milkweed mostly western 2015

Asclepias brachystephana Bract milkweed 1 Far west

Asclepias engelmanniana Engelmann's 23 Scattered across state, mostly west

Asclepias hirtella Tall green milkweed 21 Scattered, mostly east Planting seed in 2015

Asclepias incarnata Rose, Marsh or 20 Wet areas statewide, Yes, planted 2014, Observed Swamp milkweed more common in east planting seed in monarch 2015 caterpillars eating it in Sept. 2014

Asclepias involucrata Dwarf milkweed 1 Rare, in Cimarron County

Asclepias latifolia Broad-leaf milkweed 19 Central and west; widely distributed on dry plains

Asclepias macrotis Long hood 1 Panhandle, rare milkweed Native Milkweeds of Oklahoma

Asclepias obovata Pineland milkweed 8 Eastern

Asclepias oenotheroides Sidecluster 7 Central, south milkweed, Zizotes central, southwest milkweed

Asclepias pumila Plains milkweed 14 Southwest, northwest

Asclepias purpurascens Purple milkweed 4 Dry fields, meadows, open woods in a few eastern counties

Asclepias quadrifolia Fourleaf milkweed 16 Most common in eastern OK

Asclepias speciosa Showy milkweed 19 Moist soil of open Planting seed in areas, also in 2015 panhandle

Asclepias stenophylla Narrow-leaf 47 Western half of state milkweed on dry plains

Asclepias subverticillata Horsetail milkweed 1 Panhandle

Asclepias sullivantii Prairie milkweed 7 Most common Planting seed in northeast and north 2015 central prairie

Asclepias syriaca Common milkweed 8 Northwest Planting seed in Oklahoma 2015

Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly milkweed 69 Statewide except 2013 landscape, panhandle planting 2015 Native Milkweeds of Oklahoma

Asclepias uncialis Wheel milkweed 2 Panhandle

Asclepias variagata White milkweed 7 Southeast, Arkansas border counties

Asclepias verticillata Whorled milkweed 58 Northwest, a common late Northeast Oklahoma, season host Ditches, road banks plant for monarch larvae

Asclepias viridiflora Short green 56 Northeast Oklahoma, Planting seed in Common in milkweed roadsides, ditches, 2015 pastures from prairies, open areas, Kansas to Texas. and other areas with Generally little vegetative avoided by cattle competition and horses.

Asclepias viridis Green, Green 66 Prairies, widely Planting seed in antelope horn distributed, Central 2015 milkweed and east

Note: Oklahoma has 77 counties. The state has several eco-regions, ranging from eastern forests, to tall grass prairie, to short grass prairie and semi-desert. There are milkweeds for every eco-region.

Sources

1. List of Oklahoma milkweeds taken from: http://monarchwatch.org/bring- 3. Oklahoma Wildflowers by Doyle McCoy back-the-monarchs/milkweeds-by-state/ 4. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center, www.wildflower.org 2. The Guide to Oklahoma Wildflowers by Patricia Folley For detailed maps of milkweed distribution in Oklahoma visit: http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Asclepias