Asclepias speciosa
Asclepias speciosa
Safety & Hazards
Although no specific reports have been seen for this species, many, if not all, members of this genus contain toxic resinoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides. They are only toxic if eaten in large quantities, causing vomiting, stupor, weakness and spasma[ 274 Title Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Publication Author Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Website http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm Publisher Botanical Research Institute, Texas. Year 1999 ISBN 1-889878-01-4 Description An excellent flora, which is also available on-line. , 293 Title Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Publication Author Website http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes. ]. The plants are usually avoided by grazing animals[ 274 Title Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Publication Author Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Website http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm Publisher Botanical Research Institute, Texas. Year 1999 ISBN 1-889878-01-4 Description An excellent flora, which is also available on-line. ].
Botanical Description
Asclepias speciosa is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant with a deep Tproot; it produces a cluster of very stout, unbranched stems 60 -100cm tall[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 352 Title KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder Publication Author Website http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 0 ISBN Description Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone. , 908 Title Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 41 Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis. Year 1954 ISBN Description A botanical publication, it contains an article on the genus Tachigali. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. This species was widely used by the native North Americans as a food, medicine and source of materials. It has a very good potential for improvement through selection to produce an excellent crop plant. It is also grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its flowers which attract butterflies to the garden. The plant is widely tolerant to habitat and is becoming weedy in cultivated fields, roadsides, railway embankments etc within its native range. It has escaped from cultivation by means of its seeds, and has become naturalised in cultivated ground and dry grassland in various parts of Europe[ 289 Title The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database Publication Author Website http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops. ].