# Pineneedle Milkweed (Asclepias linaria)

> A shrubby, evergreen-looking milkweed densely clothed in soft needle-like leaves, resembling a small conifer until it produces its white flower clusters. A favorite of desert gardeners in Arizona and New Mexico.

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

## Summary

A shrubby, evergreen-looking milkweed densely clothed in soft needle-like leaves, resembling a small conifer until it produces its white flower clusters. A favorite of desert gardeners in Arizona and New Mexico.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Asclepias linaria Cav. |
| Genus | Asclepias |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Common names | Pineneedle Milkweed, Needle-leaf Milkweed |
| Status | Native |
| Height | 1.5 ft–4 ft |
| Spread | 1.5 ft–3 ft |
| Flower color | white, cream |
| Bloom period | March to October |
| Light | Full sun |
| Soil moisture | Dry |
| USDA zones | 8-11 |
| Leaf arrangement | alternate |
| Leaf shape | threadlike |
| Sap | Milky latex |
| Root system | Deep taproot, resents transplanting |
| Seed stratification | 30 days cold-moist |
| Monarch value (0-5) | 3 |
| Garden value (0-5) | 4 |
| Nectar value (0-5) | 3 |
| US states recorded | Arizona, New Mexico, Texas |

## Identification

- Dense, soft, pine-needle foliage on a woody-based shrubby plant.
- Small white flowers in tight rounded clusters at the branch tips.
- Retains foliage year-round in frost-free areas.

## Ecology

A host for monarchs and queens in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts, and a long-season nectar source.

## Growing

Widely available in Southwest nurseries and easy in a xeric garden. Full sun, sharp drainage, minimal water.

## Cautions

Standard milkweed cautions.

## References

- Plants of the World Online: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:94400-1
- GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/3170270
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62295
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_linaria
- BONAP county map: https://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Asclepias%20linaria.png
- NatureServe: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Search?searchTerm=Asclepias%20linaria

## Photographs

- Inflorescencias del pinillo (Asclepias linaria) (Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata, CC BY-SA 4.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inflorescencias_del_pinillo_(Asclepias_linaria).jpg
- Asclepias linaria (Michael Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_linaria.jpg
- Asclepias linaria2 (Michael Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_linaria2.jpg
- Pineneedle Milkweed photographed in Acámbaro, Guanajuato, Mexico (Oscar Alejandro Morales Juárez, CC BY-SA 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123754629
- Pineneedle Milkweed photographed in Hidalgo County, NM, USA (Andrew Tree, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/208147090
- Pineneedle Milkweed photographed in Dolores Hidalgo Cuna de la Independencia Nacional, Gto., México (Carlos Fonseca, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109093214
- Pineneedle Milkweed photographed in Hidalgo County, US-NM, US (Public domain (CC0), CC0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66906760
- Pineneedle Milkweed photographed in Santa Cruz County, AZ, USA (Sue Carnahan, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/248490461

## How to cite

Milkweed USA. (2026). Pineneedle Milkweed (Asclepias linaria). https://milkweedusa.com/species/pineneedle-milkweed/