# Green Antelopehorn (Asclepias viridis)

> The workhorse of the south-central states: sprawling stems, broad wavy leaves and big open clusters of pale green flowers with purple-tinged centers, blooming early across pasture, roadside and prairie from Texas to Tennessee.

Source: https://milkweedusa.com/species/green-antelopehorn/  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Milkweed USA)

## Summary

The workhorse of the south-central states: sprawling stems, broad wavy leaves and big open clusters of pale green flowers with purple-tinged centers, blooming early across pasture, roadside and prairie from Texas to Tennessee.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Asclepias viridis Walter |
| Genus | Asclepias |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Common names | Green Antelopehorn, Green Milkweed, Spider Milkweed |
| Status | Native |
| Height | 1 ft–2.5 ft |
| Spread | 1.5 ft–3 ft |
| Flower color | green, purple |
| Bloom period | April to July |
| Light | Full sun |
| Soil moisture | Dry, Average |
| USDA zones | 5-9 |
| Leaf arrangement | alternate |
| Leaf shape | oblong |
| Sap | Milky latex |
| Root system | Deep taproot, resents transplanting |
| Seed stratification | 30 days cold-moist |
| Monarch value (0-5) | 5 |
| Garden value (0-5) | 3 |
| Nectar value (0-5) | 3 |
| US states recorded | Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas |

## Identification

- Flowers pale green with a purplish crown, in large loose clusters at the stem tips.
- Leaves broad, alternate and often with wavy edges.
- Stems lean and sprawl outward from the base.
- Very common on unimproved pasture and roadsides in Texas and Oklahoma.

## Ecology

Along with antelope horns, this is the plant that receives the first northbound monarchs in the south-central flyway each spring, which arguably makes it the highest-leverage milkweed on the continent.

## Growing

Tough, drought-proof and long-lived on lean soils. Direct-sow; the taproot dislikes transplanting. Goes dormant in high summer heat.

## Cautions

Toxic to livestock in quantity, though rarely eaten by choice.

## Questions

**What is the best milkweed to plant in Texas?**

Green antelopehorn (A. viridis) and antelope horns (A. asperula) are the two native species that matter most for spring monarchs, with zizotes milkweed and butterfly weed also excellent. Avoid tropical milkweed, because Texas winters are mild enough for it to cause year-round breeding.

## References

- Plants of the World Online: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:94737-1
- GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/3170294
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/60946
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_viridis
- BONAP county map: https://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Asclepias%20viridis.png
- NatureServe: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Search?searchTerm=Asclepias%20viridis

## Photographs

- Asclepias viridis (Marion Doss, CC BY-SA 2.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis.jpg
- Asclepias viridis 1 (mmarchin, CC BY-SA 2.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis_1.jpg
- Asclepias viridis (9123680137) (peganum from Henfield, England, CC BY-SA 2.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis_(9123680137).jpg
- Asclepias viridis (9123678969) (peganum from Henfield, England, CC BY-SA 2.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis_(9123678969).jpg
- Asclepias viridis Arkansas (Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 4.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis_Arkansas.jpg
- Asclepias viridis - 49926816687 (sonnia hill, CC BY 2.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis_-_49926816687.jpg
- Asclepias viridis - 49839858577 (sonnia hill, CC BY 2.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis_-_49839858577.jpg
- Asclepias viridis (2020) (sonnia hill, CC BY 2.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_viridis_(2020).jpg

## How to cite

Milkweed USA. (2026). Green Antelopehorn (Asclepias viridis). https://milkweedusa.com/species/green-antelopehorn/