common milkweed

Apocynum cannibinum, Hemp Dogbane

Hemp Dogbane is often identified as Common Milkweed, but Common Milkweed leaves are thicker and more undulated. Dogbane can have green or red stems. Hemp Dogbane will usually form branches near the top of the plant when it's approaching flowering time. Both species are in Apocynaceae and both have milky sap. Dogbane stems are solid, and Common Milkweed stems are hollow. Apocynum sibericum looks exactly like A. cannibinum, except it has sessile leaves. There are 2 other dogbane entities, Spreading Dogbane, Apocynum androsaemifolium, and a hybrid of cannibinum and androsaemifolium, Apocynum x floribundum, Intermediate Dogbane.

The veining matches common milkweed.

It also matches Hemp Dogbane. Venation in both species is variable, and none of the keys use it as a reliable method for identifying. There are 5 varieties of Apocynum cannibinum.

Jay, I don’t know Hemp Dogbane so I did a search and found this article…. particularly the Virginia Tech photo in the article that compares the leaf veining of the two plants.

https://growiwm.org/weeds/hemp-dogbane/

By late July in Virginia (where the OP is located) dogbane should be branched.

I asked the experts and it appears I'm WRONG, it's Asclepias syriaca. There's still the mystery of why this specimen seems to lack petioles, and it would be appreciated if when these types of plants are submitted here, that you take photos clearly showing the stem and close up of the stem to scan the surface, and shots clearly showing the petioles or lack of petioles. So I'll go with syriaca based on venation, but I still have my doubts because of what appears to be a lack of petioles, and the photo is blurry, with no shots clearly featuring petioles, and that doesn't help.

This is the last time I will identify a plant for you vettin. I went through a lot of trouble being challenged by someone who never ID's anything here, and then debating it, and taking it and showing it to other botanists, and it was crappy material to work with, but through all of this you haven't commented or provided any imput, and youve never liked or thanked me for the other plants that I ID'd for you, so I'M DONE!

Asclepias syriaca as it should look. Please read comment above.

A belated thank you Jay. it has been a busy few days. I appreciate the time you spent on it.

A thank you to everyone also, i dont always get back to these posts in a timely manner so add thank you in the main post. you have saved many a plant from being weeded.

cecily if you had not said it I would have. A.s. is a beast not fit for a mixed bed. Very difficult to control.

Jay, you said:

"I went through a lot of trouble being challenged by someone who never ID's anything here, and then debating it, and taking it and showing it to other botanists, and it was crappy material to work with, ... "

I guess that's your way of insulting me and implying I'm an idiot because I dared to very respectfully question or disagree with your ID? wow.

eta: Actually, your outrage and contempt would have come across better if you had been right.