• Common name : Common Milkweed, Pleurisy Root
• Scientific name : Asclepiassyriaca
• Family : Apocynaceae
• Native land : Eastern half of the United States and Southern Great Plains
It is a native perennial plant. It grows best in rich sandy or gravelly loam soils. It contains a sticky white sap that is mildly poisonous. It is an important plant because many species of insects depend on it. This showy plant is frequently grown from seed in home gardens. Its brilliant flowers attract butterflies. The plant usually has a single stem and grows up to 6 feet in height. It has large, broadly oblong leaves, usually four to ten inches long. Its tough roots are chewed as a cure for pleurisy and other pulmonary ailments.
