Woolly milkweed facts for kids

Asclepias vestita, also known as woolly milkweed, is a special plant found only in California. It's a type of milkweed, which are famous for being important food for monarch butterfly caterpillars. This plant grows in many different places, from mountains to deserts and valleys across California.

Discovering Woolly Milkweed

Where Woolly Milkweed Grows

Woolly milkweed is an endemic plant. This means it naturally grows only in one specific place. For Asclepias vestita, that special place is the state of California. You can find it in many different parts of California. It grows in high mountains, dry deserts, and even the flat valleys. This shows how tough and adaptable this plant is!

What Woolly Milkweed Looks Like

This plant is a strong perennial herb. A perennial plant lives for more than two years. It usually grows upright, but sometimes it can lean a bit. Its leaves are thick and can be oval-shaped or long and narrow.

Both the stem and the leaves often have a coat of light-colored hairs. Sometimes these hairs are very thick and feel like wool. This is why it's called "woolly milkweed"!

Flowers and Seeds

The flowers of the woolly milkweed grow in a special shape. They form an umbel, which looks like an umbrella. Sometimes, they grow in a round cluster. The flowers are usually yellowish. They might also have hints of brown or purple colors.

After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a large, yellowish fruit. This fruit is called a follicle. Inside the follicle, there are many seeds. Each seed has silky hairs attached to it. These hairs help the seeds float away in the wind. This is how the plant spreads its seeds to new places.