The Common Milkweed is the plant that most people associate with the word “milkweed”. This is a tall and conspicuous species that sometimes forms large clones. The umbels bear large balls of pink to purplish flowers that have an attractive odor.  Among the milkweeds, this species is the best at colonizing in disturbed sites. Its appearance and persistence is dependent on disturbance due to its inability to compete with other vegetation. This species is a critical link in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly as a host for larvae.