Common Milkweed

Common milkweed at Oxon Cove Park

(NPS/Cindy LaBarge)

Asclepias syriaca

Named for the milk-colored latex within its stem, common milkweed is known to feed more than 450 species of insects! The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) relies on milkweed. The adults lay their eggs on the leaves because it is the only plant their caterpillars can eat. The loss of milkweed is a big reason for the decline of Monarch populations. Milkweed is native to the mid-Atlantic United States and grows naturally across Oxon Cove Park. The meadows in the park provide a great habitat and food source for many insects and birds.