Spreading Dogbane - Apocynum androsaemifolium

Apocynum androsaemifolium, or Spreading Dogbane, is a perennial wildflower native to Michigan and the UP. It is a colorful plant, with stems that range from light green to red, showy clusters of pink and white flowers, and foliage that turns yellow in fall. It is also texturally interesting, with sharply angled stems, nodding flowers, and graceful leaves. But, my favorite part is the seed pods. Every flower that was successfully pollinated turns into a pair of long, narrow pods filled with fluffy seeds similar to milkweed. The pods turn a smooth, dark brown when ripe and are quite dramatic. I wanted to add a picture this fall of the pods, but the deer ate them. Fortunately, the golden leaves and red fall stems are dramatic on their own.
 
Spreading Dogbane reaches 3 feet tall, and likes medium to dry soil with partial shade. It loves it under our apple trees and makes a great “soft landing” plant under trees to shelter overwintering caterpillars. It will tolerate full sun with better soil. Spreads by rhizome and seed, and is not shy about it. Can take effort to remove it once established in something like a vegetable garden, so make sure you have room for it to roam. Easily controlled by mowing if it strays from your flower bed.
 
It is a lovely plant, favored by small native bees for nectar, but visited by other pollinators. Toxic for mammals if enough is consumed, but our deer still browse it, especially the early shoots. It grows back with vigor. It is the host plant for several species of moth, and the food source for the metallic rainbow-colored Dogbane Beetle (not to be confused with the invasive Japanese Beetles who look similar but are not nearly as shiny or as large.)
 
The Dogbane family is related to milkweed, and some sources, including the US Forest Service, indicate that it can serve as a host plant for Monarch caterpillars. This is reported as untrue, however, by sources who specialize in butterflies and is even contradicted by a different forest service document on the habitat needs of Monarchs. I have seen recent articles that tout this plant as a Monarch host, so I guess the jury is still out. If you have seen Monarch caterpillars on these, let me know!
 
Some early authors mistook young dogbane shoots for milkweed and the confusion persists to this day, especially in foraging books. Research well before using this plant or milkweed for any purposes beyond ornamental.