Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Apocynaceae

Genus:

Asclepias

Species:

Asclepias humistrata

USDA Symbol:

ASHU3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

pink, lavender, white

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

butterflies, bees, Monarch butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from deep taproot after fire. Native to fire-maintained sandhill and scrub ecosystems where periodic burning is part of the natural disturbance regime.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to sandy, well-drained areas like pine barrens

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Surface sow or barely cover. Germination improves with cold stratification but may occur without it.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI