Hello! My name's Linda. I'm Australian but now I live high up in the mountains in the centre of the beautiful island of Sardinia. This is the very first time I've ever posted anything on any kind of forum! I wonder if anyone can help me to identify a plant I have growing here. The LEAVES look very much like oleander but slightly narrower. The FLOWERS hang down in bunches and look almost like tiny orchids. They're white with a touch of pink in the raised centers; 5 petals, approx. 1cm in diameter. The SEED PODS are the main attraction. They look like prickly balloons, up to 6 cm in diameter. When they burst open the dark-brown seeds gently float away on silky fluff. Thank you for reading this request and for any help you can give me.
Hello and welcome Linda. I did a search for on the terms Asclepias and Italy, and came up with this: Asclepias physocarpa taken at Englis Garden, Royal Palace, Caserta, Italy This species wouldn't be native to Italy, but it could be a garden escape. If it isn't this species, it might be another plant in the genus Asclepias, or milkweeds.
