Desert Milkweed
Asclepias erosa
Observed blooming along main road through Joshua Tree National Park north of Cottonwood Spring, California, USA. 1 May 2010.
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RANGE: Far
northwestern and western portions of the Arizona Sonoran Desert - ranging into
the Mojave Desert of California and also south into the Baja Peninsula.
LEAVES: Opposite leaves are nearly joined at their stem base. Broad,
succulent leaves are whitish-green. Underside veins conspicuous. White latex
from tears or breaks. The leaves may be densely covered with soft hairs or else
be glabrous, i.e. hairless.
FLOWERS: Five-pointed, greenish to white flowers are arrayed in large,
spherical umbels.
SEEDS: Seeds covered with long silky hairs inside globose capsule.
SHRUB: Long-lived plants may approach tree size of
2 meters.
UNARMED.