When To Plant And How To Grow And Care For Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed, Orange Milkweed)

The Asclepias tuberosa, more commonly known as butterfly weed or orange milkweed, is from the Asclepiadoideae, formerly Asclepiadaceae, (milkweed) family. This wildflower species is native to the southern and eastern regions of the USA. The butterfly weed is an important food source for butterflies. Monarch butterflies especially love it, and it is crucial in supporting and protecting the Monarch population. No naturalist garden would want to be without this showy plant for attracting butterflies with its vivid flower colours. Also suitable as cut flowers arrangements. The butterfly weed draws other beneficial garden insects and pollinators such as bees. The butterfly weed is easy to grow. Though, caterpillars will munch the leaves down. Fortunately, the butterfly weed plant is quick to recover and bloom again, plus it is deer resistant. Butterfly weed is low maintenance and hardy to zone 3.

The butterfly weed is a bushy perennial with vivid orange, red and yellow flowers that bloom reliability throughout the summer months and sometimes into early autumn. It has an upright clump form with slender green leaves and flat-top clusters of flowers at the end of stems. Fruit forms after flowering. While many are orange and beautiful, the ‘Hello Yellow’ (feature photo) is our new favourite with its bright yellow flowers. It is not as tall as the others reaching up to about 50 cm (1.5 ft).