Long-lasting, bright orange flowers and a low mounded profile make Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) one of the most popular milkweeds. True to its name, Butterfly Weed attracts legions of butterflies and is an important host plant …
Long-lasting, bright orange flowers and a low mounded profile make Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) one of the most popular milkweeds. True to its name, Butterfly Weed attracts legions of butterflies and is an important host plant for Monarch and Queen butterflies. Unusual among milkweeds, its leaves are alternate and it lacks the typical milky sap.
In an ideal location, a mature Butterfly Weed can become a very showy specimen, with multiple flowering stems spreading across a two foot high plant. This rugged species thrives in sunny locations, in dry sandy soil or well-drained loam. Mature plants have a deep tap root that extends down a foot or more. They can be transplanted if dug carefully, during dormancy.
Other common names include Pleurisy Root, Butterfly Milkweed and Orange Milkweed.
Native plants can be grown outside of their native range in the appropriate growing conditions. This map shows the native range, as well as the introduced range, of this species.
Plant Shipping Rates: for plant orders up to $50 the shipping amount is $9.95. For plant orders from $50.01 and over, the shipping rate is 20% of the total plant cost.
Fall plant-shipping begins on September 9, 2024. The last day to order your plants for fall shipment is September 29.
During checkout, you will be asked to choose a Shipping Week for your plant delivery, from the dates that are available. The week that you choose will be included in your order confirmation email. When your plants ship you will receive an email that includes your tracking information.
I see that A. tuberosa seed requires a dry stratification. Does that mean I put seeds in the fridge? How long? Do your seeds come pre-stratified?
Seed purchased from us in the spring has been in cold storage over the winter, and therefore is already “dry stratified.” No further action is required prior to planting. Seed purchased in the fall may not be dry stratified. In this case, if you plan to propagate the seed indoors or in a greenhouse, the seed will need to be placed in cold storage of at least 32 degrees F, for at least 30 days, prior to planting. If you plan to sow the seed outdoors in the fall, no pre-treatment is required as all germination requirements will be met naturally.
Is your Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) pesticide free?
Yes, our Butterfly Weed is pesticide free. Our Butterfly Weed is grown from seed at our nursery. We do not use any pesticides (insecticides) in our propagation houses or field production.
Will these bloom in their first year?
Often there will be some flowering on the new transplants during the first summer, but it will not be a full display. A mature and well established Butterfly Weed plant begins blooming in early summer. What this means is that new spring transplants don't have quite enough time to get well established and fully bloom in their first summer. Butterfly Weed is a very long-lived plant. The display will increase with each year.
I received a few plants on September 19. They had yellow, fragile leaves, but mostly no leaves at all. The roots however, feel strong and look fine. Isn’t it too early for Butterfly Weed to be going dormant? Or is something else wrong with the plants, perhaps during shipment?
Thanks for the question! It's very common for fall-shipped plants to be starting to yellow and lose some leaves as they head toward dormancy. This is especially true for plants that have an earlier bloom cycle. Butterfly Weed is a early blooming plant. They bloom in June, and by September the seeds are fully ripe and dispersing, and their job as a plant is basically done for the season. The fading and dropping of leaves can also be increased due to the stress of shipping. This fading can occur earlier than normal on young plants that are contained in a small pots, as well. These young plants don't have the same resilience as a mature plant that has been established in the soil. However, that doesn't mean that the plant is struggling. As long as its roots are firm and healthy, the plants is alive and viable. Plant with care, as you normally would!
Sign-in or create an account to submit a question.
