# Whitestem Milkweed (Asclepias albicans)

> The tallest milkweed in North America: chalk-white, essentially leafless stems rising to ten feet from rocky desert slopes in the Sonoran Desert, tipped with clusters of cream flowers in late winter.

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

## Summary

The tallest milkweed in North America: chalk-white, essentially leafless stems rising to ten feet from rocky desert slopes in the Sonoran Desert, tipped with clusters of cream flowers in late winter.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Asclepias albicans S. Watson |
| Genus | Asclepias |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Common names | Whitestem Milkweed, White-stemmed Milkweed, Wax Milkweed |
| Status | Native |
| Height | 3 ft–10 ft |
| Spread | 2 ft–4 ft |
| Flower color | cream, white |
| Bloom period | January to May and November to December |
| Light | Full sun |
| Soil moisture | Dry |
| USDA zones | 9-11 |
| Leaf arrangement | opposite |
| 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) | 3 |
| Nectar value (0-5) | 3 |
| US states recorded | Arizona, California, Nevada |

## Identification

- Very tall, wand-like, waxy white stems in a clump.
- Leaves tiny and quickly deciduous, so the plant looks leafless.
- Blooms in winter and early spring, unusually for the genus.

## Ecology

A winter-flowering desert nectar source of real value when almost nothing else is in bloom.

## Growing

A dramatic specimen for frost-free desert gardens; needs rocky drainage and full exposure.

## Cautions

Standard milkweed cautions.

## References

- Plants of the World Online: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:21135-2
- GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/3170348
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62299
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_albicans
- BONAP county map: https://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Asclepias%20albicans.png
- NatureServe: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Search?searchTerm=Asclepias%20albicans

## Photographs

- Asclepias-albicans (NPS, Public domain): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias-albicans.jpg
- Whitestem Milkweed photographed in La Paz, MX-BS, MX (Abraham Sánchez Romero, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66636663
- Whitestem Milkweed photographed in Loreto, MX-BS, MX (Sula Vanderplank, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/99973689
- Whitestem Milkweed photographed in Indio, CA, US (Henrik Kibak, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148074612
- Whitestem Milkweed photographed in San Diego County, US-CA, US (W. Terry Hunefeld, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9079418
- Whitestem Milkweed photographed in Felicity, CA 92283, USA (Bob Miller, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/268335420
- Whitestem Milkweed photographed in San Diego County, US-CA, US (Public domain (CC0), CC0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202127524
- Whitestem Milkweed photographed in Riverside, California, United States (Matt Berger, CC BY 4.0): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150753876

## How to cite

Milkweed USA. (2026). Whitestem Milkweed (Asclepias albicans). https://milkweedusa.com/species/whitestem-milkweed/