Asclepias verticillata (Whorled Milkweed, or Horsetail Milkweed) is a species of milkweed which is used as a medicinal plant by Native American tribes and in Butterfly gardening

Butterfly gardening

Butterfly gardening is a growing school of gardening, specifically wildlife gardening, that is aimed at creating an environment that attracts butterflies, as well as certain moths, such as those in the Hemaris genus. Butterfly gardening is often aimed at inviting those butterflies and moths to lay...

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Description

This plant is also cited as a poisonous plant to livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

, but is rarely consumed by them because it is so unpalatable

Flavor

Flavor or flavour is the sensory impression of a food or other substance, and is determined mainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. The "trigeminal senses", which detect chemical irritants in the mouth and throat as well as temperature and texture, are also very important to the overall...

.It is about one to three feet tall.

Distribution

Its native range includes most of eastern North America and parts of western North America.

Butterflies

Asclepias verticillata is a specific Monarch butterfly

Monarch butterfly

The Monarch butterfly is a milkweed butterfly , in the family Nymphalidae. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. Since the 19th century, it has been found in New Zealand, and in Australia since 1871 where it is called the Wanderer...

 food and habitat

Habitat

* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

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