birdandhike.com logo
Home | Vegetation | Plant Species | Perennial Forbs
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Perennial Forbs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Vine growing on another shrub

General: Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense) is a perennial vine that climbs on shrubs and low trees. The plant has long, narrow leaves that dry and fall off during summer. Flower petals (corolla lobes) yellow to oragne, upright, and incurved as if it were a closed flower bud. There can be a small opening at the top where the petals don't quite meet. Flowers produce long, narrow seed pods that split from the tip and often persist into the winter. Feathery tufts of silky hairs help the seeds disburse on the wind.

Utah Vine Milkweed is an uncommon component of desert and upland vegetation communities. It can be found on flats, in and along washes, and on bajadas into the lower mountains in the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) and Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zones.

Family: Milkweed (Asclepiadaceae)

Other Names: Cynanchum utahense.

Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Flowers

Plant Form: Vine, perennial forb

Height: Climbs on shrubs.

Stems: Vine

Leaves: Long and narrow, curled up on the edges, dropping in early summer.

Flowers: Yellow-orange, look like flower buds that never open into a "flower."

Seeds: Seedpods split from the tip. Seeds very small with a feathery tuft of silky hairs.

Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Vine wrapping around stem of another shrub

Habitat: Dry soils on flats, in and along washes, and on bajadas into the lower mountains.

Elevation: Below about 3,000 feet

Distribution: California to Utah and Arizona.

Comments: While generally uncommon, this species can be locally abundant. Grows well on White Bursage.

Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort growing on shrubs in Gold Butte National Monument
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort covering a shrub
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort climbing up a catclaw acacia tree
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Goldstrike Canyon, Lake Mead NRA
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Vine growing on another shrub
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Vine growing on another shrub
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Narrow leaves
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Narrow leaves
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense) Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Leaves
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Leaf
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense) Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense) Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense) Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Flowers: note tiny opening at the top
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Flowers: note tiny opening at the top
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort ripe seedpod bursting
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort ripe seedpod bursting
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort ripe seedpods bursting
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort ripe seedpods bursting
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort ripe seeds ready to fly on the wind
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort ripe seeds ready to fly on the wind
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort vine with spent seed pods
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Vine with spent seed pods
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Dried seedpod and tangled vines; seedpods split from the tip
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Dried seedpod and tangled vines
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Utah Swallow-Wort dried seedpod and tangled vines
Utah Vine Milkweed (Funastrum utahense)
Dried seedpod and tangled vines

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 240907

All Perennial Forbs Plant Species Index Glossary Copyright, Conditions, Disclaimer Home
Google Ads