# Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi)

> A rare Trans-Pecos endemic of limestone ridges and rocky slopes in far west Texas, with thread-fine leaves and small cream flowers, known from very few localities.

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

## Summary

A rare Trans-Pecos endemic of limestone ridges and rocky slopes in far west Texas, with thread-fine leaves and small cream flowers, known from very few localities.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Asclepias sperryi Woodson |
| Genus | Asclepias |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Common names | Sperry’s Milkweed |
| Status | Native; rare or legally protected in part of its range |
| Height | 8 in–1.7 ft |
| Spread | 8 in–1.5 ft |
| Flower color | cream, green |
| Bloom period | May to August |
| Light | Full sun |
| Soil moisture | Dry |
| USDA zones | 7-9 |
| Leaf arrangement | opposite |
| Leaf shape | threadlike |
| Sap | Milky latex |
| Root system | Deep taproot, resents transplanting |
| Seed stratification | 30 days cold-moist |
| Monarch value (0-5) | 2 |
| Garden value (0-5) | 1 |
| Nectar value (0-5) | 2 |
| US states recorded | Texas |

## Identification

- Thread-fine opposite leaves on slender clustered stems.
- Small cream-green flowers in sparse terminal clusters.
- Limestone slopes and ridges in the Trans-Pecos.

## Ecology

A narrow Texas endemic with little documented ecology and a small known range.

## Growing

Not in cultivation; leave wild plants undisturbed.

## Cautions

A rare Texas endemic. Photograph and report rather than collect.

## References

- Plants of the World Online: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:21294-2
- GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/3170239
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/158759
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_sperryi
- BONAP county map: https://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Asclepias%20sperryi.png
- NatureServe: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Search?searchTerm=Asclepias%20sperryi

## Photographs

- Asclepias sperryi in flower (Richard Rintz, CC0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_sperryi_in_flower.jpg

## How to cite

Milkweed USA. (2026). Sperry’s Milkweed (Asclepias sperryi). https://milkweedusa.com/species/sperrys-milkweed/