Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Kansas Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

L.

Kansas Milkweed

G5Secure Found in 108 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.131135
Element CodePDASC021Y0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderGentianales
FamilyApocynaceae
GenusAsclepias
Other Common Names
Asclépiade commune (FR) common milkweed (EN) Common Milkweed (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-06-18
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2025-06-18
Edition AuthorsJohnson, J. (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Asclepias syriaca is a wide-ranging perennial herb occurring in a variety of habitats across much of the eastern United States and Canada, and introduced to many areas globally. With a large range extent, more than 700 occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Asclepias syriaca is widespread throughout the central and eastern United States and central and southeastern Canada. It is also introduced in the western and southeastern United States, Central America, Europe, southwest Asia, and Australia (FNA 2023, GBIF 2025). The native range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).¿
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations within the species' native range documented between 1994 and 2025, there are estimated to be more than 700 occurrences across the native range of the species (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Asclepias syriaca is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Asclepias syriaca grows in "flats, slopes, ridges, valleys, fields, meadows, pastures, ditches, pond and lake edges, marshes, bogs, fens, parks, urban lots, streamsides, swales, bluffs, sandhills, limestone, clay, silty, sandy, and rocky soils, prairies, forest openings and edges, [and] riparian woods' (FNA 2023).

Ecology

Asclepias syriaca grows in "Flats, slopes, ridges, valleys, fields, meadows, pastures, ditches, pond and lake edges, marshes, bogs, fens, parks, urban lots, streamsides, swales, bluffs, sandhills, limestone, clay, silty, sandy, and rocky soils, prairies, forest openings and edges, riparian woods" (FNA 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchardUrban/edificarian
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Island of NewfoundlandSNANo
Nova ScotiaSUYes
SaskatchewanS1Yes
ManitobaS3Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
Prince Edward IslandSNANo
OntarioS5Yes
QuebecS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
MinnesotaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
District of ColumbiaS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
MarylandSNRYes
DelawareS5Yes
TexasSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
New JerseyS5Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
South CarolinaS3Yes
OregonSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
IowaS5Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
VirginiaS5Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
KansasS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
GeorgiaSNANo
VermontS5Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
IndianaS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undeterminedUnknownUnknownUnknown

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (108)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Dismal CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest9,160
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Burke BranchShawnee National Forest6,231
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Michigan (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bear SwampHuron-Manistee National Forest3,915
DeliriumHiawatha National Forest190
FibreHiawatha National Forest7,432
Norwich Plains Revised Roadless AreaOttawa National Forest4,360
Minnesota (3)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
New Hampshire (13)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
North Carolina (10)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
North Dakota (2)
AreaForestAcres
DurlerDakota Prairie Grasslands12,464
SheyenneDakota Prairie Grasslands14,537
Pennsylvania (6)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Clarion RiverAllegheny National Forest3,821
Hearts ContentAllegheny National Forest221
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
Verbeck IslandAllegheny National Forest14
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Tennessee (7)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Rogers RidgeCherokee National Forest4,738
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Vermont (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
Virginia (32)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Beartown Addition BJefferson National Forest2,985
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Crawford MountainGeorge Washington National Forest9,892
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Hunting Camp Little Wolf CreekJefferson National Forest8,953
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Little AlleghanyGeorge Washington National Forest10,215
Little Dry Run AdditionJefferson National Forest2,204
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Saint Marys AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest1,454
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (16)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Turkey MountainMonongahela National Forest6,421
Wisconsin (3)
AreaForestAcres
09012 - Round Lake Study AreaChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest3,707
09166 - East TorchChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest4,647
09180 - Perch LakeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest2,390
References (6)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2023. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 14. Magnoliophyta: Gentianaceae to Hydroleaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 505 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  6. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).