Asclepias sp.
Milkweed, Milkweed
(c) Joshua Mayer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Apocynaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Asclepias sp. (Milkweed) is a non-native California perennial in the Apocynaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Gomphocarpus: Asclepias has hoods that touch or nearly touch at their edges; Gomphocarpus has gaps between hood edges.; vs Erigeron: Asclepias has rounded umbel clusters with large individual flowers; Erigeron has daisy-like flowers with many thin ray petals.; vs Lantana: Asclepias has reflexed petals with a raised hood crown; Lantana has flat-faced tubular flowers in dense rounded heads.; vs Apocynum: Asclepias has large showy flowers in dome-shaped clusters; Apocynum has tiny bell-shaped flowers in branched sprays.; vs Baccharis: Asclepias has milky sap and large distinctive flowers; Baccharis has clear sap and tiny fuzzy composite flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Asclepias sp. native to California?
No. Asclepias sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Asclepias sp. belong to?
Asclepias sp. is in the Apocynaceae family, genus Asclepias.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.