What it is
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is in the Apocynaceae family. The orange native milkweed - a monarch host and nectar plant that's drought-tough once its deep root sets.
How to grow it
It wants full sun, water it low, and give it well-drained soil. Target a soil pH around 6.0-7.5. Space plants about 18 in apart. Expect roughly Blooms summer. Hardy native perennial.
How it's used
Butterfly Weed is used: monarch host; pollinator.
🔎 How to identify it
- Narrow alternate leaves
- Clumping habit
- Bright orange flower clusters
Not for eating
Grown for the garden, soil, or pollinators — not as food.
🌤 Before you plant: check the live 7-day garden weather to time it right for frost and heat.
Part of the free Texas Roots plant database, compiled by Jordan Polasek from his greenhouse in El Campo, Texas. Free to read and share. If it helped, the best thanks is to grow something.