Wednesday, December 4, 2013

New milkweed species

I snuck outside awhile ago and was on my way to check out bluebonnets in the Meadow when I saw this leggy plant on our neighbor's side of the property. Looked like a WEED. When I leaned over, I saw the fluffy seed pods. Hmm, must be a purple milkweed vine nearby, I thought. THEN I saw the pod ON THE PLANT! A new-to-me milkweed species! AWESOME!

Drum roll, please...this is a zizotes milkweed (Asclepias oenotheroides). According to Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country, the perennial species "is one of the more weedy-looking milkweeds." Which explains my initial reaction when I saw it. Sure wish I could have seen the blooms. I LOVE milkweed flowers.   


UPDATE

Our native plant friends Linda and Ron sent me this photo of a milkweed they found on their friends' property east of Blanco...it's a Asclepias oenotheroides! Complete with blooms. Awesome! Thank you! (Photo taken Oct. 10, 2013)

1 comment:

Skip Kiphart said...

Neat, Sheryl!

Post a Comment