Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed) Unity Grown

Asclepias tuberosa, also called butterfly milkweed, is a showy perennial wildflower, widely known for its vital role in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly (Danaus pleixippus) as well as its fiery orange flowers during the summer. Adaptable and resilient, butterfly milkweed grows best in direct sunlight and dry to very dry well-drained soils; due to this plant's large, tuberous roots that can hold onto a ton of water, butterfly milkweed is incredibly drought tolerant, but this also means it's much more susceptible to over-watering. Asclepias tuberosa grows to only 18-24" tall, placing it among the shorter milkweed varieties; although Asclepias tuberosa is set apart by its orange flowers, shorter height, and better tolerance of drier conditions, butterfly milkweed is by no means the only option for supporting monarchs in your backyard.

 With value to not only butterflies but also hummingbirds and bees, Asclepias tuberosa makes for a great addition to pollinator gardens and flower beds, but with its drought tolerance, butterfly milkweed also works well in bright, dry meadows and rock gardens. The plant produces a milky, toxic sap, and toxicity to pets (dogs, cats and horses) should be noted when choosing a location for planting, though this sap also makes it tolerant to deer and rabbit browsing. Once flowers have faded during the summer, butterfly milkweed produces long, narrow seed pods that persist through the fall and winter, adding multi-season interest.