I ran across is milkweed look-alike near some common milkweed 42.3566839,-88.8507491 south facing very dry hard packed soil in groupings much like the common milkweed a few feet away . It bleeds like a milkweed ;} but underside of leaves are silky smooth as topside ... stem is solid but fleshy at this stage . could it be - Asclepias sullivantii ???

looks like is common dog bane ... except its definitely NOT in a wet area

It can't be Asclepias sullivantii as the leaves in your photos are not opposite.

@Pegasys You may find this link helpful. It has info on Illinois Native milkweeds and a number of others also.


http://www.growmilkweedplants....

Great site Moonhowl ... nothing matches it exactly . since there is a decent amount of it and I know that place gets mowed 3x / yr I spose I should collect a few and put them in my test area so see what they turn out like ...

The more I looked around where this plant came from there were 3 to 4 clumps of a dozen or so individuals . The roots and rhizomes resemble milkweed exactly . This particular area gets mowed 3 or 4 times a year and its just feet away from cultivated farmland { corn this year} . I snapped a few more pics of the clump I took in its new temporary home . Its very cloudy and cool today so there should be little to no transplant shock . When they flower I will post the inflorescence pics .

I wonder if it could be Euphorbia? Perhaps Flowering Spurge, Euphorbia corollata ?

http://www.illinoiswildflowers...


This is the full site for Illinois prairie wildflowers.

http://www.illinoiswildflowers...

I think Moonhowl nailed it with Euphorbia corollata.

Yes I do think its a Euphorbia ... In reading the associated fauna I regrettably saw Tachnid Fly ... Monarch larvae mortal enemy it is ... $#@$@#&!

I do not know if I should say You are most welcome, or Gee I am so sorry...