Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_30.gif)
Monday - February 08, 2010
From: Woburn, MA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Is common milkweed considered endangered from Woburn MA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Is common milkweed, a food source for monarchs, considered federally protected, endangered, rare or threatened? Does any state protect common milkweed? It would be nice; if not, if state parks and national parks could protect it for the butterflies. Also, technically, is it considered a weed? Thank you.ANSWER:
Last question first: A weed is a plant that is not where you want it to be. We can probably all agree on some plants, like poison ivy, being a weed. No one wants it anywhere. If milkweed is in a pasture and the farmer doesn't want his stock grazing on it, he sees it as a weed. But you, obviously concerned about the well-being of the Monarch, do not.
When we searched our Native Plant Database on "milkweed;" there were 46 hits, of which 6 of them were plants having "milkweed" in their common names, but were not members of the genus Asclepias, family Asclepiadaceae. One, Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed), was the only one with "common" in its name. However, we are assuming you are referring to the genus Asclepias as a group, all of which do, indeed, support the Monarch butterfly, and allow that butterfly to pass some of the toxins from the milkweed on to its offspring as protection against predators. There are no doubt some milkweeds that are perhaps not as widespread, and might be considered rare, but by and large, the Monarchs would seem not to be in imminent danger of extinction because of their food source.
However, let's talk a little bit more about what makes a plant considered endangered, rare, threatened, etc.We went to a USDA website for Threatened and Endangered Plants and got a listing of the members of the genus Asclepias that are protected in various states; two are on the Federal threatened list.
From a U.S Fish and Wildlife Service website Endangered Species Program. we extracted this quotation:
'An “endangered” species is one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A “threatened” species is one that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.'
The site goes on to tell you far more than you probably ever want to know about getting a plant or animal declared endangered, with many links to other sites for more information. Since you are from Massachusetts, we did a search on our Native Plant Database on the Asclepias genus. From this, we found 10 species of milkweed native to your state and extending west, north and south.
Asclepias native to Massachusetts and their natural range:
Asclepias amplexicaulis (clasping milkweed) - as far west as Kansas and Texas
Asclepias exaltata (poke milkweed) - as far west as Minnesota
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) - all but West Coast states and Mississippi, plus Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec
Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed) - all but West Coast states and Arizona, plus Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec
Asclepias purpurascens (purple milkweed) - 31 states and Ontario
Asclepias quadrifolia (fourleaf milkweed) - approx. 27 states and Ontario
Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) - 40 states and large portion of Canada
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed) 43 states and Eastern and Central Canada
Asclepias verticillata (whorled milkweed) - all states as far west as Montana and Arizona, midsection of Canada
If you assess all this information, we believe you'll agree that there is little chance the Asclepias will need to be declared endangered.
From our Native Plant Image Gallery:
More Wildflowers Questions
Bee-pasture recommendations for AR
November 30, 2011 - Hello, I live in Melbourne, Ar, up in the NE corner of the state. I keep bees and would like to put in a couple acres of something for them. I'm leaning towards Viper's Bugloss. Do you know where I ...
view the full question and answer
Inadvisability of overseeding winter rye with wildflowers
January 15, 2007 - I've recently had such phenomenal success with winter rye seed that I'm looking for a spring wildflower seed mix to dress over the same area -- a thin-soiled and pretty bare open-sun (and sprinkler-...
view the full question and answer
Wildlife management programs for tax exemptions
March 17, 2006 - I own a property in La Grange, Texas on which we're considering a wildlife management exemption. Would there be a program that also provides tax advantages for growing wildflowers?
view the full question and answer
October wildflower bouquets for South Carolina wedding
August 25, 2008 - I live in Marietta, Georgia and my daughter is getting married in Pendleton, South Carolina (near Clemson,SC) October 11th. I am in charge of getting 10 wildflower bouquets for the bridesmaids !!! C...
view the full question and answer
More on bluebonnets
March 13, 2007 - I want to go to the Willow loop north 7 miles or so of Fredericksburg to see the bluebonnets in bloom this year but don't know when the best time would be to see this spectacular view. I plan to be ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |