# Texas Milkweed (Asclepias texana)

> A refined Edwards Plateau endemic with thin dark green leaves and clean white flower clusters, growing in limestone canyons and creek beds through the Texas Hill Country.

Source: https://milkweedusa.com/species/texas-milkweed/  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Milkweed USA)

## Summary

A refined Edwards Plateau endemic with thin dark green leaves and clean white flower clusters, growing in limestone canyons and creek beds through the Texas Hill Country.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Asclepias texana A. Heller |
| Genus | Asclepias |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Common names | Texas Milkweed |
| Status | Native |
| Height | 1 ft–3 ft |
| Spread | 1 ft–2 ft |
| Flower color | white |
| Bloom period | May to September |
| Light | Part shade, Full sun |
| Soil moisture | Dry, Average |
| USDA zones | 7-9 |
| Leaf arrangement | opposite |
| Leaf shape | ovate |
| Sap | Milky latex |
| Root system | Deep taproot, resents transplanting |
| Seed stratification | 30 days cold-moist |
| Monarch value (0-5) | 3 |
| Garden value (0-5) | 4 |
| Nectar value (0-5) | 3 |
| US states recorded | New Mexico, Texas |

## Identification

- Pure white flowers in neat rounded clusters.
- Thin, dark green, pointed leaves on a slender branching stem.
- Limestone canyons, seeps and rocky stream banks in central Texas.

## Ecology

A localised but valuable summer host and nectar plant in Hill Country canyon habitats.

## Growing

A good, well-mannered garden plant for central Texas, taking part shade and limestone soil.

## Cautions

Standard milkweed cautions.

## References

- Plants of the World Online: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:21305-2
- GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/3170347
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/158762
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_texana
- BONAP county map: https://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Asclepias%20texana.png
- NatureServe: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Search?searchTerm=Asclepias%20texana

## Photographs

- Asclepias texana (Mason Brock (Masebrock), Public domain): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_texana.jpg
- Near Border Hill - Flickr - aspidoscelis (Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM, CC0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Near_Border_Hill_-_Flickr_-_aspidoscelis.jpg
- Near Cañada Montosa - Flickr - aspidoscelis (Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM, CC0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Near_Ca%C3%B1ada_Montosa_-_Flickr_-_aspidoscelis.jpg
- Texas Milkweed photographed in Travis County, US-TX, US (Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87046123
- Texas Milkweed photographed in Austin, TX, USA (Eric Knight, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28262647
- Texas Milkweed photographed in Lost Maples State Natural Area, Vanderpool, TX, US (Cody Stricker, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53809135
- Texas Milkweed photographed in Burnet County, US-TX, US (Public domain (CC0), CC0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/360016402
- Texas Milkweed photographed in Boerne, TX 78006, USA (Craig Hensley, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52172881

## How to cite

Milkweed USA. (2026). Texas Milkweed (Asclepias texana). https://milkweedusa.com/species/texas-milkweed/