Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Apocynaceae

Genus:

Asclepias

Species:

Asclepias variegata

USDA Symbol:

ASVA

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

90 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

white, pink, purple

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, hummingbirds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from underground rhizomes after fire or top removal. Benefits from periodic disturbance in woodland settings.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open woodlands and forest edges

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds benefit from cold-moist stratification. Germination is typically reliable and uniform with proper stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI