Photo of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

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Taken on Jun. 28, 2018

Location

Ecoregion

• North America
• Eastern Temperate Forests
• Southeastern USA Plains
• Southeastern Plains
• Chesapeake Rolling Coastal Plain

Photographer & Copyright

© Alex Zorach

CC BY-SA 4.0

Inclusion in Plant ID / Comparison Guides

This photo is featured in 2 plant ID/comparison guides:

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) vs. Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata)

Updated August 29th, 2024

These two tall, broad-leaved milkweeds can be confused, but are usually easy to tell apart by leaves, seed pods, and flowers. Common milkweed ranges farther south, west, and north, and occurs in sunnier, more open habitats, whereas poke milkeweed is found in shadier habitats sheltered from wind. These species can hybridize, and hybrids have intermediate characteristics, so it may not be possible to identify all plants to species level.

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Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) vs. Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens)

Updated October 5th, 2021

Although these plants average different bloom colors, they are otherwise quite similar and can be hard to tell apart, especially early in the season. Even some blooming plants can be hard to distinguish, due to a high variation in bloom color in each species. Common milkweed is wider-ranging and occurs in a broader variety of disturbed habitats, whereas purple milkweed is rarer and more restricted to intact natural areas.

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