Asclepias asperula
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| Asclepias asperula |
Asclepias asperula is a species of milkweed native to southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is also known as antelope horns, green-flowered milkweed, and spider antelope horns. It is a perennial plant growing to 0.6-2 m (1 -2 feet) tall, with clustered greenish-yellow flowers with maroon highlights. It blooms from April through June, and favors moist, sandy or rocky soil.
Like several other types of milkweed, A. asperula is a food for Monarch caterpillars. Aside from being a source of nutrition for Monarchs, the plants also contain alkaloids that the Monarchs absorb and retain making them unpalatable and poisonous to predators (see the section "Defense against predators" in the Monarch article). For the same reason, A. asperula can be poisonous to livestock and other animals, including humans.
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