Sandhill Milkweed

It seems we have a new resident species in our Backwoods Forest Preserve sand hill: Sandhill or Pinewoods Milkweed (Asclepias humistrata)! This is pretty exciting as we now have another native species of milkweed on the MOSI Outside property. 

Sandhill Milkweed is found throughout the southeastern states, generally in sandy upland habitats. The species has a prostrate habit and you will often find it sprawling on the ground, rather than upright like many other milkweed species. The leaves are fairly thick and the stem of the plant and center vein on each leaf are a lovely pink to purple color. 

Pretty in Pink

When it flowers, Sandhill Milkweed produces pink flowers at the end of the stems. Flowers will be found very close to the ground because of the sprawling growth habit of the plant, making it very easy to miss. The seed pods that develop later are also pink to purple. 

This species is hard to find in nurseries and isn't found a lot in cultivation, but if you are in a sandy upland area, keep your eyes out for the pink stems. You can sometimes find this species in specialty and native plant nurseries.

What's in A Name:

The genus Asclepias is named for the Greek God Asklēpiós who was raised by a centaur and taught the art of medicine which he mastered to the level of being able to revive the dead. After his own lightning bolt Zeus-induced death, he was placed among the stars as the constellation Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer.

The specific name humistrata is a combination of the Latin word "humis" or ground and the Latin word "sternere" which means spread out or laid down, refering to the low and spreadiong growth habit of the plant.