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Milkweed
Milkweed botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Milkweed

Asclepias spp.
In the United States: Native · also called silkweed

Honeybees are highly attracted to common milkweed for its abundant nectar during the midsummer bloom period, often providing a reliable honey flow in open, sunny habitats. The flowers offer substantial nectar rewards, though the pollen in pollinia form is typically discarded by honeybees and not collected. Rhizomatous growth can lead to dense patches, requiring occasional division to maintain tidy plantings near apiaries.

Nectarhigh
Pollenlow
Bloom (US) June–August
Duration~30 days
TypePerennial
Sunfull
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