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| + | #REDIRECT [[Asclepias syriaca]] |
| − | |genus=Asclepias
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| − | |jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
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| − | |image=Purple Milkweed Asclepias purpurascens Head.jpg
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| − | '''''Asclepias''''' [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] (1753), the '''milkweeds''', is a [[genus]] of herbaceous [[perennial plant|perennial]], [[dicotyledon]]ous [[plant]]s that contains over 140 known species. It previously belonged to the [[family (biology)|family]] Asclepiadaceae, but this is now classified as a [[subfamily]] [[Asclepiadoideae]] of the dogbane family [[Apocynaceae]].
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| − | Milkweeds are an important nectar source for [[bee]]s and other nectar seeking insects, and a larval food source for [[Monarch butterfly|monarch butterflies]] and their relatives, as well as a variety of other herbivorous insects (including numerous [[beetle]]s, [[moth]]s, and [[true bug]]s) specialized to feed on the plants despite their chemical defenses. Milkweed is named for its milky juice, which contains [[alkaloids]], [[latex]], and several other complex compounds including [[cardenolide]]s. Some species are known to be [[toxic]].
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| − | [[Carolus Linnaeus]] named the genus after [[Asclepius]], the Greek god of healing, because of the many folk-medicinal uses for the milkweed plants.
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| − | [[Pollination]] in this genus is accomplished in an unusual manner. [[Pollen]] is grouped into complex structures called [[pollinia]] (or "pollen sacs"), rather than being individual grains or tetrads, as is typical for most plants. The feet or mouthparts of flower visiting insects such as [[bees]], [[wasp]]s and [[butterflies]], slip into one of the five slits in each flower formed by adjacent [[anther]]s. The bases of the pollinia then mechanically attach to the insect, pulling a pair of pollen sacs free when the pollinator flies off. Pollination is effected by the reverse procedure in which one of the pollinia becomes trapped within the anther slit.
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| − | ''Asclepias'' species produce their [[seed]]s in [[Follicle (fruit)|follicles]]. The seeds, which are arranged if overlapping rows, have white silky filament-like hairs known as pappus, ''silk'', or ''floss''. The follicles ripen and split open and the seeds, each carried by several dried pappus, are blown by the wind.
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| − | Milkweeds use three primary defenses to limit damage caused by [[caterpillar]]s: hairs on the leaves, cardenolid toxins, and [[latex]] fluids. Data from a DNA study indicates that more recently evolved milkweed species utilize less of these preventative strategies, but grow faster than older species; potentially regrowing faster than caterpillars can consume them.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ramanujan |first=Krishna |date=Winter 2008|title=Discoveries: Milkweed evolves to shrug off predation |journal=Northern Woodlands |volume=15 |issue=4 |page=56 |publisher=Center for Northern Woodlands Education |url= |accessdate= }}</ref>
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| − | {{Inc|
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| − | Asclepias (ancient Greek and Latinized name). Asclepiadaceae. Milkweed. Silkweed. Perennial milky-juiced herbs, sometimes used in the hardy border or wild garden.
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| − | Erect, with deep thick and hard perennial roots: Lvs. opposite or verticillate (rarely alternate), entire: fls. gamopetalous, the corolla segms. generally strongly reflexed; stamens 5, attached to the corolla, the anthers more or less united about the stigma; between the corolla and the stamens is a crown of 5 cornucopia-like horns or appendages; pollen cohering into a waxy mass (pollinium) which is removed bodily by insects that visit the fl.: fr. 2 warty, or echinate or smooth follicles.
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| − | The pollination of an asclepias fl. is shown in Fig. 398. The pollen-masses are usually twin (as at 6), and the handle or caudicle lies in a chink on the side of the stigma. The pollen-masses become attached to the legs or mouth parts of the insect, and are thereby transferred to another fl.—The milkweeds are common in waste places in N. Amer., and are rarely cult. About 80 species are known, mostly North American, but others in Cent, and S. Amer. and Afr. Several species (described below) have been offered by dealers in native plants. The butterfly-weed and some others are very showy and worthy of more general attention. The large-lvd. kinds are desirable when heavy foliage effects are wanted. They are all perennials of the easiest cult. Prop, by division, rarely by seeds.
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| − | }}Describe the plant here...
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| − | ==Cultivation==
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| − | ===Propagation===
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| − | ===Pests and diseases===
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| − | ==Species==
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| − | Some '''''Asclepias''''' species:
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| − | {| class="wikitable"
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias albicans]]'' || Whitestem milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias amplexicaulis]]'' || Blunt-leaved milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias asperula - Antelope Horns.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias asperula]]'' || [[Asclepias asperula|Antelope horns]]
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias sp. flowers (Marshal Hedin).jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias californica]]'' || California milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias cordifolia.JPG|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias cordifolia]]'' || [[Asclepias cordifolia|Heart-leaf milkweed]]
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias cryptoceras]]'' || Pallid milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias curassavica crop.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias curassavica]]'' || Scarlet milkweed, Tropical milkweed, Bloodroot, Bloodflower, Bastard Ipecacuanha
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias eriocarpa]]'' || Woollypod milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias erosa 5.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias erosa]]'' || Desert milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias exaltata]]'' || Poke milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias fascicularis flowers 2003-06-05.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias fascicularis]]'' || Narrow leaf milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias fruticosa fruits.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias fruticosa]]'' syn. ''Gomphocarpus fruticosus'' || swan plant, African milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias humistrata]]'' || Sandhill milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata Flowers Closeup 2800px.jpg|120px]]|| ''[[Asclepias incarnata]]'' || [[Swamp Milkweed|Swamp milkweed]]
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias lanceolata]]'' || Lanceolate milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias linaria]]'' || Pine needle milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias linearis]]'' || Slim milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias meadii]]'' || Mead's milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias nyctaginifolia.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias nyctaginifolia]]'' || Mojave milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias obovata]]'' || Pineland milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Gomphocarpus physocarpus 1.jpg|120px]]|| ''[[Asclepias physocarpa]]'' || Gomphocarpus physocarpus, commonly balloonplant, balloon cotton-bush, giant swan plant, testicle tree, bishop's balls or swan plant
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| − | | [[File:Purple Milkweed Asclepias purpurascens Head.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias purpurascens]]'' || Purple milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias quadrifolia]]'' || Four-leaved milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias rubra]]'' || Red milkweed
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| − | | [[File:Asclepiassolanoana.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias solanoana]]'' || Serpentine milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:R27182818 milkweed img 0312.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias speciosa]]'' || Showy milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Asclepias subulata flowers 2.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias subulata]]'' || Rush milkweed(Leafless milkweed)
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias sullivantii]]'' || Sullivant's milkweed
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| − | | [[Image:Common milkweed-tracy.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias syriaca]]'' || [[Common Milkweed|Common milkweed]]
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| − | | [[File:Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa Umbel.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias tuberosa]]'' || [[Butterfly weed]], Pleurisy root
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias variegata]]'' || White milkweed
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| − | | [[File:Asclepias verticillata.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias verticillata]]'' || Whorled milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias vestita]]'' || Woolly milkweed
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| − | | || ''[[Asclepias vincetoxicum]]''
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| − | | [[File:Asclepiasviridiflora.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Asclepias viridiflora]]'' ||
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| − | |}
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| − | ==Gallery==
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| − | <gallery perrow=5>
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| − | Image:Upload.png| photo 1
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| − | Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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| − | Image:Upload.png| photo 3
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| − | </gallery>
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| − | ==References==
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| − | <references/>
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| − | *[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
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| − | <!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->
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| − | <!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 -->
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| − | <!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 -->
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | *{{wplink}}
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| − | {{stub}}
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| − | __NOTOC__
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