Identification
This native perennial has smooth, purplish stems which grow to 5 feet tall. They branch freely towards the top half of the plant (A). Lance-shaped leaves, up to 6 inches long, are opposite on the stem on short stalks. The small whitish flowers are bell-shaped and arranged in clusters (cymes) at the ends of the branches (B,C). When cut this plant exudes a milky juice. Flowers mature into long cylindrical seed pods (not shown) containing many seeds, each with a tuft of white hair similar to milkweeds.
Prefers moist, poorly drained, disturbed sites in prairies, roadside ditches, lakeshores and crop fields, blooming from May to June. It is uncommon at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods in floodplain sites and ditches.
Local Native Americans used this plant’s hemp-like fibers for cordage. Foliage is toxic, but generally avoided by livestock because of the bitter taste of its milky juice.
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