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Common Milkweed
Common Milkweed botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Honeybees visit common milkweed primarily for its abundant nectar, which provides a significant flow during summer, though they rarely collect its pollen due to the pollinia structure. Peak bloom occurs from June to August in the northern hemisphere. It spreads aggressively via rhizomes and can form dense colonies, requiring management to prevent it from becoming weedy in gardens; occasionally, bees may get trapped in the flowers.

Nectarhigh
Pollenlow
BloomJune–August
Zones3-9
TypePerennial
Sunfull
NativeEastern North America
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