Tall Green Milkweed

Description

Asclepias hirtella, commonly known as tall green milkweed or prairie milkweed, is a native perennial forb (wildflower) that typically grows to 3 feet tall. Tall green milkweed is distinguished from many of the other species of milkweed by its narrow alternate leaves, greenish-white flower umbels, absence of horns in the flower hoods, and its very floriferous bloom.

The flowers of Tall Green Milkweed are cross-pollinated primarily by long-tongued bees and wasps.  To a lesser extent, the flowers also attract small butterflies and day-flying moths. These insects obtain nectar from the flowers. Milkweeds attract a special group of insects that are oligophagous on various parts of these plants. These insect feeders include Monarch Butterfly and Milkweed Tiger Moth caterpillars. Because the milky latex of the leaves and stems contain cardiac glycosides and possess a bitter flavor, they are usually avoided by mammalian herbivores. The White-Footed Mouse eats the seeds of milkweeds to a minor extent, while the Eastern Goldfinch uses the silky hairs of the seeds in the construction of its nests.