Poke Milkweed - Asclepia exaltata

Features: This is the only locally native milkweed that grows in shade. Its leaves are shaped like those of Common but smaller and thinner. Its drooping clusters of complex greenish-white flowers make an unusual accent in a woodland garden. It thrives in dappled shade.

It may take a few years to mature and bloom and is not aggressive at all. Its common name comes from the superficial resemblance of its leaves to those of Pokeweed, a totally different species.

Like all milkweed, it can host Monarch butterfly caterpillars, as well as several other moths and beetles.

Light: Partial to full shade

Soil: Medium Wet to Medium Dry

Height: 2-5 feet

Blooms: June to July

See more information and photos at: Illinois Wildflowers and University of Illinois Extension

Photo credits: 1. Elizabeth Wahle/U of I Exten; 2, 3. Illinois Wildflowers