Asclepias asperula is found beyond the borderlands around the Southwestern United States and into Northern Mexico. My explanation of the common name antelope horns being the result of drug use wasn’t fair. At one point the species name for this milkweed was capricornu from Latin meaning goat horn. And here is a good quote from I forget who (drug use), “the common name Antelope Horns is reflective of the maturing seed pods which begin to curve as they grow and soon resemble antelope horns.” Sooo, antelope horns or inmortál, your choice, but always Asclepias asperula.
Whenever we see this milkweed blooming we notice the many visitors…bees, wasps, beetles, butterflies, moths. At a recent sighting Marian pointed out large carpenter bees visiting the flowers. Very cool! And, as mentioned in this episode, it is an excellent food source for Queen and Monarch Butterfly caterpillars. Now you know.
The photos are ours.
