Florida also has several dozen native species of milkweed, most found only in the wild and some in very localized populations. Of these native species, the only one commonly found for sale is Asclepias tuberosa, commonly called Butterflyweed. By scouring the internet, I've gathered information on twelve other native species, and found seed sources for three of them. The list below shows botanical name, common name(s), and some general information. Craig Huegel has done a great job documenting many of these species in detail on his Native Florida Wildflowers blog, so for further information and pictures, click the botanical name to be redirected to his blog (or, in a few cases, www.wildflower.org).
For best, most comprehensive listing we've seen on Florida's Native Milkweeds (21 species), click here to visit the Sharon's Florida website.
Asclepias connivens - Large Flower Milkweed
- Occurs throughout Florida in open wet flatwoods and savannahs, in widely scattered and localized populations
- Requires open and seasonally wet conditions to thrive
- Extremely rare endemic and endangered species, with localized populations
- Confined to sunny and very well-drained sandy habitats in the peninsula
- Endemic to Florida and found only within the southern half of the state
- Native to well-drained upland habitats, especially xeric flatwoods and sandhills with high levels of sunlight
- Native to the northern two-thirds of Florida
- Prefers well-drained sands and full sun; will rot quickly if planted in moist soils
- Native throughout peninsular Florida
- Prefers moist to wet soil habitats in sunny locations, but can tolerate occasional drought once established
- Huegel notes this species is difficult to cultivate from seed, although seeds are readily available in many seed catalogs. In addition to seed, Prairie Moon Nursery offers both bare root and potted plants for sale via mail order.
- Tall thin species with very thin leaves and small heads of bright orange blooms
- Occurs throughout Florida in open marshes, wet prairies, and savannahs
- Found throughout Florida in pinelands and savannahs with sunny, moist soils
- Easy to grow from seed, though no commercial seed source appears to be available
- Occurs statewide in open upland habitats, such as pine flatwoods and prairie
- Prefers average conditions during much of the year and moist soils during the summer rainy season
- Occurs in a variety of wetland habitats, including semi-shaded forests
- Requires good soil moisture to prosper; has some drought tolerance but must be provided plenty of water during the summer months
- Occurs in a variety of well-drained upland sites throughout most of Florida
- A good candidate for gardeners looking to use native milkweeds in a butterfly garden
- A drought-tolerant species that thrives in sun or part shade
- Seeds available from Prairie Moon Nursery via mail order
- This species prefers moist soils and full sun
- Seeds available from Prairie Moon Nursery via mail order
Florida Native Aquatic Milkweed (Asclepias perennis) |
In a butterfly garden, you can never have too much milkweed. A hungry caterpillar can strip a plant of leaves in just a few days, so plant all the milkweed you can handle to support a healthy butterfly population in your area. You can start now from seeds, or watch your local nurseries for milkweed plants in the months ahead. A patch of milkweed is almost guaranteed to be a butterfly magnet - if you plant it, and they will come!
If you know of a source for seeds or plants of any of Florida's native milkweed species, we'd love to hear about it. Tell us in the comments or drop by the MOSI Outside Facebook page.
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