Whorled Milkweed is a native perennial wildflower in the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family found in the sandhills, thin woodlands and barren outcroppings in all areas of NC and most of the US east of the Rockies. The thin linear leaves are arranged in whorls along the stem and the white flowers appear in small clusters May to September. They are a favorite of bees and butterflies and the plant is a host to the monarch butterfly larvae. Whorled Milkweed is easy to grow in average, moist to dry, well-drained soils and flowers best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. It is resistant to deer, drought and dry soils. Use this plant in naturalized areas, pollinator gardens or meadows. It will spread by seed and rhizomes. Seed pods can be removed before self-seeding occurs and are sometimes used in dry flower arrangements. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant disease problems. Most common milkweed pests (aphids, milkweed beetles, Monarch larvae, and milkweed tussock moth larvae) are not problematic, but both large and small milkweed bugs can be very damaging to seed pods.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
2-3 inch long, narrow, sessile, linear leaves arranged in whorls of 3-6 per node along the stem. Margins rolled downward (revolute). Undersides with whitish-green with short hairs.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Tiny tubular 5-petaled flowers in clusters in the upper leaf axils and stem tips from May to September. Flowers are white to greenish-white
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Follicle
Fruit value
Good Dried; Showy
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
3-4 inches long and .5 inch wide smooth, narrow seed pods split open when mature releasing numerous seeds with long tufts of white hair that are dispersed by the wind from September to October
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Unbranched green stems with vertical lines of short pubescence ooze a milky sap if broken.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
USA, Canada
Wildlife value
Attracts pollinators. Host plant to the monarch butterfly.
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Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Milkweed Bug; Aphids Found on Flowers and Foliage
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Dry Soil
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Sap/Juice; Stems
Poison symptoms
Can cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, lethargy, and confusion if eaten in quantity. Milky sap can cause contact dermatitis and eye irritation. The nectar is toxic to honeybees.