Native Plant Database

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: 6-12 feet.
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 6-12 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: TX
Native Habitat: Thickets on rocky hillsides; found in Bell, Burnet, Palo Pinto, and Parker counties, as well as Brown, Comanche, Eastland, and Johnson counties. Central, south and west Texas.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Conditions Comments: Green milkweed vine is not a bold plant but the green star-shaped flowers with a pearly irridescent center are lovely and curious. Use as a novel woodland-edge garden feature. Blooms best with plenty of sun, but does well in some shade also. The Large interesting seed pod open up to release silky seed threads and many seeds. Members of the Milkweed family are host to Queen and Monarch butterflies.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Deer Resistant: High

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge - Wimberley, TX
Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
Jacob's Well Natural Area - Wimberley, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0012 Collected May 10, 1990 in Bexar County by Judith C. Berry
NPSOT 0411 Collected May 28, 1987 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 0109 Collected Apr. 24, 1991 in Bexar County by Lottie Millsaps
NPSOT 0279 Collected Sept. 19, 1992 in Comal County by Mary Beth White

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-SS-1 Collected 2009-06-17 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Bibliography

Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Matelea reticulata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Matelea reticulata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Matelea reticulata