Asclepias cryptoceras

Common Names

Pallid Milkweed, Jewel Milkweed, Humboldt Mountain Milkweed, Davis’s Milkweed

Summary

Pallid Milkweed is a native perennial herb of the western United States in the Apocynaceae family, growing low to the ground with prostrate to decumbent stems reaching about 0.4–1 ft tall. Leaves are opposite, simple, hairless, and broadly ovate to cordate, 0.8–4.6 in long and 0.6–4.4 in wide. Flowers form large greenish-yellow umbels with petals curled backward and a rose-colored crown between the corolla and stamens; five petals and five hood-shaped structures, with fruits consisting of two follicles. A fleshy, woody rhizome-like root supports ground-spreading clusters, blooming April–June in desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities across AZ, CA, CO, ID, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY, attracting native bees, bumblebees, and honeybees.

Cultivation and practical uses: Prefers full sun to partial shade with low to very low water and fast-draining soil; drought-tolerant after establishment; spacing 1–2 ft apart; propagation mainly by seeds requiring cold stratification with surface sow in spring or fall; division of established plants in early spring or fall; hardy in zones 4–7. Serves as a nectar source for pollinators and as a host plant for monarch and queen butterflies; supports native bees, bumblebees, and honeybees; helpful for erosion control and ornamental landscapes. All parts are toxic if ingested due to cardiac glycosides.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

4-12 inches

Spread

4-12 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun or partial shade.

Soil Type

Dry, well-draining sandy soil (pH 6.0–7.5).

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil, preferably sandy or loamy

Soil pH

6.0-7.5

Bloom Color

Greenish-yellow

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Pale blue-green to gray-green foliage

Fall Foliage Color

Greenish yellow

Growth Rate

Moderate growth rate; 1–2 ft in the first year.

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, other pollinators