Purple splendour

Is there such a wild plant as purple asclepias? I have the white growing in my garden but saw this amazing purple plant near the city and by the railway. It was quite beautiful and very tall!

Louisa there are lots of asclepias species. Check out the photos on this site http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/index.htm Maybe you'll find it there.

Thanks Poppysue - nothing matches 'my' plant!! Will take a photo next time I'm in town. What a great site and thanks for the link!!

Perhaps what you saw was Vernonia or Ironweed. It's sometimes over six feet and has large clusters of purplish flowers..http://www.vnps.org/ironweed.html

I'm not sure about this Jerseyguy. The flower colour is definitely purple.

some ironweeds are definitely purple - tall ironweed, Vernonia altissima for one, and the Vernona noeboracensis can be either pink or purple. I'll try and find a picture for you.
http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesGS.asp?sort=1&curGroupID=99&display=1&area=99&searchText=Vernonia&curPageNum=1

This message was edited Tuesday, Aug 21st 10:00 AM

This message was edited Tuesday, Aug 21st 1:10 PM

Thanks Kathleen - the flowers on the link still look sort of pinkish but that could be down to the photography. So this is the aster family! When I saw this plant on the side of the road I did think it looked like an aster. Hope to get photos this week!