Texas Milkweed Photos Asclepias asperula antelope horns milkweed pg 2
west towards San Antonio, northwest of San Antonio along I-10 to Kerrville and Junction, and
north on US 83 to north Runnels County. Asperula in some places grows close to another milkweed,
Asclepias viridis. These plants have seen along the roadsides and in some cases in adjacent
pastures. Areas that were mowed or heavily grazed during the winter allow the asperula to be
easily seen when the first blooms appear ... as early as the first of March in Victoria and DeWitt
Counties. Pages 3 and 4 of these webpages have photos of asperula east of San Antonio taken
March 5, 2000 and others taken April 4, 2000 northwest of San Antonio.
Both the viridis and asperula have blooms with petals that curve upward, but the petals of the
asperula are much shorter (photos of flowers of both) than those of the viridis ... about one third
the length. The leaves of the asperula that we have seen are narrower and in most cases longer
than those of the viridis. The leaves of the asperula have been described as "lance-shaped" while
those of the viridis appear to be more oval.
Asperula grows in a cluster from a central tuberous root shown in the photo above, left. We have
found as many as twenty stems growing up and out from the same root. Asclepias asperula is one
of the host plants for migrating monarchs in Texas in the spring (March and April) and again in the
fall.
Photos and website by Harlen E. and Altus Aschen Copyright (c) 2000 Asclepias asperula
May be reproduced and used for educational purposes. Monarch Watch Milkweed Guide
