Asclepias californica

$6.60 – $14.50

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California milkweed

California milkweed is a perennial that can reach 3 ft. tall and wide. It has thick stems that often creep along the ground and are covered with white soft woolly hairs.

The lavender to magenta pink flowers resemble a cluster of stars, and bloom in the spring and summer.

The foliage of this plant is an important food source for Monarch caterpillars early in the year before many of the other California native milkweeds emerge from dormancy. It is also summer semi-deciduous.

California milkweed is a great option for planting in containers, bird gardens, and butterfly gardens.

Lifeform: Perennial

Sun: Full Sun

Water: Dry, Light

Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand

Other: Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Moths, Drought Tolerant

 

Ecological Value

Important larval host plant for Monarch butterflies and the Clio Tiger moth.
Container

1-Gal-O, D-16-O, 1-Gal, D-16, D-40, TB4
Historical Uses

The Kawaiisu tribes have eaten this plant as candy. The milky sap within the leaves is said to be flavorful and chewy when cooked.
Distribution

Native to California and northern Baja California from the East Bay region southward and the foothills of the Sierra
Elevation

3" – 8798"
Communities

Chaparral, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Yellow Pine Forest
Habitat

Dry slopes, canyons, foothills with chaparral or woodlands; also disturbed areas, roadcuts

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