Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies' (Butterfly Milkweed)

'Gay Butterflies' is an attractive ornamental cultivar of Asclepias tuberosa, also called butterfly milkweed, a perennial wildflower, widely known for its vital role in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly (Danaus pleixippus). Adaptable and resilient, butterfly milkweed grows best in direct sunlight and dry to very dry well-drained soils; due to this plant's large, water-retaining roots, butterfly milkweed is incredibly drought tolerant, but this also means it's much more susceptible to over-watering. Slightly larger than other butterfly milkweeds, Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies' grows to 20-30" tall, and varies from the parent species in terms of its showy blooms. While Asclepias tuberosa is already a showstopper, the 'Gay Butterflies' cultivar stands out even more with a fiery rainbow of flowers in shades of lemon yellow, gold, and bright orange. 

With value to not only butterflies but also hummingbirds and bees, Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies' makes for a great addition to pollinator gardens and flower beds, but with its high 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.