Apocynum androsaemifolium (Spreading Dogbane)

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Apocynum, Genus, spp., Multiple species,

Genus
Multiple species

dogbanes

Apocynaceae

Temperate North America, Europe, and Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–9

Overview

Apocynum is a small genus of herbaceous perennials in the family Apocynaceae, native across the temperate Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Plants grow 1-5 feet (0.3-1.5 m) tall from spreading rhizomes, with reddish, branching stems that exude a milky latex when cut. The opposite leaves are simple and oval, 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long, often drooping. Small bell- or urn-shaped flowers, white to pink and sometimes veined, hang in loose clusters at the stem tips through summer. The flowers are followed by paired, slender seed pods 3-8 inches (7.5-20 cm) long that split to release seeds carried on tufts of silky hairs. All parts contain cardiac glycosides and other compounds that are toxic to people and livestock if eaten, and the latex can irritate skin. The tough stem fibers were used by Indigenous peoples of North America to make cordage, nets, and twine, giving A. cannabinum the name Indian hemp. The plants spread strongly by rhizome and seed and can form colonies in disturbed ground, which makes them weedy in some settings.

Native Range

Apocynum is native across temperate North America, Europe, and Asia, growing in fields, roadsides, prairies, and open woodland. A. cannabinum and A. androsaemifolium are widespread across North America.

Suggested Uses

Grown occasionally in wildlife and pollinator plantings and native meadows, where the summer flowers draw many insects. The genus is more often encountered as a wild plant of fields and roadsides than as a garden subject. A. cannabinum has a long history of use for its strong stem fibers.

How to Identify

Look for branching, often reddish stems that release a milky sap when broken, carrying paired oval leaves. Small bell-shaped white to pink flowers hang in loose clusters at the tips in summer. The long, slender paired seed pods and silky-tufted seeds, together with the milky latex, distinguish dogbane from the similar milkweeds, which have broader pods and flatter flowers.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 5'

Width/Spread2' - 4'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Summer

Flowering occurs in summer, roughly June to August, with loose clusters of small bell-shaped flowers. A. androsaemifolium has nodding pink flowers, while A. cannabinum bears smaller white-green ones. The flowers are followed in late summer by the characteristic long paired pods.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to pink

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5 (Neutral to alkaline)

3579

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Dogbanes grow in full sun to part shade in average to dry soil and tolerate poor, disturbed ground. They spread by deep rhizomes and self-sown seed and can be hard to remove once established, so they are seldom planted deliberately. All parts are toxic to people and livestock if eaten, and the latex can irritate skin. The plants need no feeding or watering in suitable sites and are hardy across USDA zones 3-9. Where they are wanted for their value to pollinators, confining the rhizomes or siting them in rough ground helps limit their spread.

Pruning

Cut stems to the ground in late autumn or winter once the foliage and pods have died back. Cutting or mowing during the growing season weakens colonies over time but rarely removes the deep rhizomes. The milky latex can irritate skin during cutting.