Flower:

 Flowers are in open droopy clusters at the end of naked stalks that arise from leaf axils in the upper part of the plant. Flowers are about 3/8 inch across and ½ inch long, have a 5-parted crown, with a horn sticking out of each of the 5 cylindrical hoods, a short column tucked in the center, and 5 flaring petals that bend back away from the flower. Crown color is creamy white to greenish or purplish, with light green petals. One plant usually has a few to several clusters.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are large and broad, to 6 inches long and 3 inches wide, roughly oval to egg-shaped, tapering to a point at both ends on a stalk ¼ to 1 inch long. Leaf edges may be slightly wavy, but are otherwise smooth. Attachment is opposite. The main stem is smooth and light green to purplish.

Fruit:

Fruit is a spindle-shaped pod 4 to 6 inches long, covered in downy hairs. Inside are flat brown seeds with a tuft of long white hair to carry them off in the wind.

Notes:

All Asclepias were formerly in family Asclepiadaceae but have been reassigned to Apocynaceae (Dogbane). Poke Milkweed is the most shade-tolerant of the Asclepias in Minnesota. Monarchs love it, as do rabbits. When I grew it at my former home in Lino Lakes, it was so loaded with Monarch larva I had to move some to other plants for fear they would completely decimate it!