Plant of short-crown milkweed (Asclepias brachystephana) in a desert.

Bract Milkweed
(Asclepias brachystephana)

Host Plant: Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus), and Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle)

Nectar Plant: many insects including other butterflies, bees, and wasps.

Flower Color: red, pink to purple to greenish-purple

Growth Habit: herbaceous perennial

Range in North America: south-central to southwestern United States

Exposure: Prefers full sun

Hardiness: Zones 6-10

Flowering Time: April to September

Soil Requirements: well-drained soil that is dry and sandy

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Categories: Plants, Apocynaceae | Dogbane Family, Asclepias | Milkweeds

Description
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Bract Milkweed (Asclepias brachystephana)

Alternative Names

purple milkweed and short-crown milkweed

Description of Bract Milkweed (Asclepias brachystephana)

Bract Milkweed (Asclepias brachystephana) is a herbaceous perennial that is native to the south-central and southwestern United States. This plant is a host to the Queen (Danaus gilippus) and Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies. Growing from 0.5 to 2 feet tall, this species has red to purple flowers that bloom from April to September. More information on this species can be found on this blog post.

Hosted Species

**Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and the Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus)**

Nectar Species

This is plant is a nectar plant for many other insects.

Native Range of Bract Milkweed (Asclepias brachystephana) in the United States and Canada

Range map of bract milkweed (Asclepias brachystephana) in the United States and Canada.

Habitat

Bract Milkweed (Asclepias brachystephana) is a herbaceous perennial that grows in rights-of-ways and roadsides.

Interesting Facts

The genus name, Asclepias, is derived from the Greek god of healing who was named Asclepius (Wikipedia). The species name, brachystephana, derives from the Latin for “little crown,” likely referring to the flowers.

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