Asclepias_syriaca

Classification Hierarchy
Kingdom	Plantae
Subkingdom	Tracheophyta
Superdivision	Spermatophyta
Division	WIKI-INSERT
Class	WIKI-INSERT
Subclass	WIKI-INSERT
Order	WIKI-INSERT
Family	WIKI-INSERT
Genus	WIKI-INSERT
Species	Asclepias_syriaca

Scientific Name: Asclepias syriaca (Asclepias is a reference to Greek mythology–Asclepius was the god of healing–syriaca refers to a plant from Syria.)
Common Name: Common milkweed
Origin: NATIVE
Notes: Be sure to read The Story of an Organism: Common Milkweed (by Craig Holdrege) and watch Prof. Rosburg's workshop video The Milkweeds scroll down to the videos.

Additional references: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Field Marks for Identification:

Flowers: June/July, creamy - light purple, small 1-2 cm in diameter with 5 cornate hoods and a gynostegium, peduncles originate on stem midway and below opposite leaves, stems, peduncles, and pedicels tomentulose; inflorescence - axial with spherical umbels; fruit - follicles covered with rows of subulate-filiform processes 3-10 mm long.

Leaves: opposite, short petioled, simple broad ovate-lanceolate, often with undulate margins and a reddish main vein.

Glossaries of botanical terms: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.