Asclepias tuberosa, the butterfly weed, is from the milkweed family of plants. An easy-to-grow drought-tolerant perennial, it will attract butterflies. It is also known by the names butterfly milkweed and the pleurisy root. It is a native plant to the United States.
Asclepias tuberosa Description
The butterfly weed grows 2 feet tall with a red or orange flower cluster. Leaves are green and they are not opposite like other milkweeds. They are smooth on the edge, pointed, and up to 2 1/4 inches long. They have prolific stiff leaves. After flowering, it releases green pods that can flutter like small parachutes. Flowering is typically between May and September.
Growing the Butterfly Weed
Grow this perennial in full sun with a well-drained soil. It tolerates partial shade and drought. Propagate by seed or tuber division in the spring. Root division will be the easiest of the propagation methods. Just cut a 2-inch piece of tuber and plant vertically. Newly planted tubers will need to stay moist. If using seed, germination should follow within 1 to 3 months. Planting seed will need a plentiful amount due to the poor germination rate. Butterfly weed is hardy in USDA hardiness zones of 4 through 10.
Butterfly Attractor
The butterfly weed, like its name implies, attracts butterflies to the landscape. It attracts the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexipuus), the Queen (Danaus gilippus), and the Grey Hairstreak (Strymon melinus). It is a larval host to these three butterflies, meaning that it is used by their caterpillars. For those looking to increase their volume of butterflies or start a butterfly habitat setting, these plants are great for that.
Warnings for Asclepias tuberosa
Milkweeds, while beneficial for attracting Monarch butterflies, are poisonous and should not be ingested. The toxic property in the flower is a resinoid and is a cardiac glycoside. Symptoms of poisoning include weakness, vomiting, and stupor.
Classification for Butterfly Weed
- Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
- Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
- Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
- Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
- Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
- Subclass: Asteridae
- Order: Gentianales
- Family: Asclepiadaceae – Milkweed family
- Genus: Asclepias L. – milkweed
- Species: Asclepias tuberosa L. – butterfly milkweed
Butterfly weed takes 2 to 3 years before it starts to produce flowers after it has been planted. Each year the plant will get thicker and denser. It is long-lived. It is a good showy plant for any landscape and does especially well in rock gardens or as a border plant in a wildflower garden plot.
Sources:
- Floridata: Asclepias tuberosa, Copyright 1996 - 2010 Floridata.com LC, Tallahassee, Florida USA
- Native Plant Information Network : Asclepias tuberosa, © 2011 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center , 4801 La Crosse Avenue, Austin, Texas 78739
Tina Samuels - Tina Samuels specializes in health, animal, and gardening articles. She authored "A Georgia Native Plant Guide".
