Whorled Milkweed! . . . (Asclepius verticillata) Native to North America.
This is a much neglected member of the Milkweed Family. With its narrow leaves,
one might easily mistake it for something else, but a closer look at the flower structure
reveals the distinctive 5-part corolla of the species.
| Compare with the more easily recognized -- with its brilliant burning prairie
orange -- Butterflyweed |
Below, three photographs from this week's feature, Forbidden Fruits. This time of
year might be called the Moon of Ripening Fruits, there are so many different species
doing this slow, mysterious work of maturing the seeds of future generations. All three
of the berries or drupes are from species native to Northeast America:
