Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Gentianales > Apocynaceae > Asclepias > Asclepias quadrifoliaAsclepias quadrifolia (fourleaf milkweed)Synonyms: Asclepias quadrifolia var. lanceolata; Asclepias quadrifolia var. oppositifolia; Asclepias vanilla Asclepias quadrifolia is a species of milkweed commonly called fourleaf milkweed or whorled milkweed. The plant occurs in the eastern United States and Canada. |
Allergen Potential [1] | Medium-Low | ![](/img/transp.gif) | Edible [2] | May be edible. See the Plants For A Future link below for details. | Flower Type [2] | Hermaphrodite | Hazards [2] | Although no specific reports have been seen for this species, many, if not all, members of this genus contain toxic resinoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides; They are usually avoided by grazing animals; | Lifespan [2] | Perennial | Pollinators [2] | Bees, Insects, Lepidoptera, Lepidoptera | Scent [2] | The small, pale-lilac flowers are sweetly scented. | Structure [3] | Herb | Usage [2] | The following reports refer to other members of this genus and are possibly also appropriate for this species;
A good quality fibre is obtained from the bark, used in making twine, cloth, paper etc; It is of poor quality in wet seasons; It is easily harvested in late autumn after the plant has died down by simply pulling the fibres off the dried stems;
The seed floss is used to stuff pillows etc or is mixed with other fibres to make cloth; It is a Kapok substitute, used in Life Jackets or as a stuffing material; Very water repellent, it can yield up to 550 kilos per hectare; The floss has also been used to mop up oil spills at sea. Candlewicks can be made from the seed floss;
Rubber can be made from latex contained in the leaves and the stems; It is found mainly in the leaves and is destroyed by frost; Yields are higher on dry soils;
Pods contain an oil and a wax which are of potential importance.
The seed contains up to 20% of an edible semi-drying oil; It is also used in making liquid soap; | ![](/img/transp.gif) | Height [2] | 20 inches (0.5 m) | View Plants For A Future Record : Asclepias quadrifolia |
Name |
IUCN Category |
Area acres |
Location |
Species |
Website |
Climate |
Land Use |
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area National Recreation Area |
V |
120283 |
Kentucky, Tennessee, United States |
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Blue Ridge Parkway National Parkway |
V |
73611 |
North Carolina, Virginia, United States |
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Catoctin Mountain Park National Park |
II |
5994 |
Maryland, United States |
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Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Hist. Park National Historical Park |
V |
19586 |
Maryland, District of Columbia, United States |
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Chickamauga & Chattanooga Nat'l Military Park National Military Park |
V |
8248 |
Georgia, Tennessee, United States |
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Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory LTER Site Long Term Ecological Research |
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North Carolina, United States |
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Cumberland Gap National Hist. Park National Historical Park |
V |
24282 |
Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, United States |
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Fort Necessity National Battlefield |
III |
1019 |
Pennsylvania, United States |
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
II |
515454 |
North Carolina, Tennessee, United States |
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|
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Horseshoe Bend National Military Park |
V |
1926 |
Alabama, United States |
|
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Mammoth Cave Area Biosphere Reserve (Natn'l Park) National Park |
II |
51235 |
Kentucky, United States |
|
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Manassas National Battlefield Park |
III |
5132 |
Virginia, United States |
|
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|
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Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve |
|
470167 |
Ontario, Canada |
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Obed Wild and Scenic River National River and Wild and Scenic Riverway |
V |
5268 |
Tennessee, United States |
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Oconee National Forest Botanical Reserve |
|
306 |
Georgia, United States |
|
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Shenandoah National Park |
II |
108221 |
Virginia, United States |
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Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve |
|
37548505 |
North Carolina, Tennessee, United States |
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Tennessee River Gorge |
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Tennessee, United States |
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Species taxanomy provided by GBIF Secretariat (2022). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-06-13; License: CC BY 4.0
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