Native Plant Spotlight: Butterfly Milkweed
Common name: Butterfly weed, butterfly milkweed
Scientific name: Asclepias tuberosa
Type: Perennial wildflower
Blooms: June- August
Color: Orange
Light: Full to part sun
Size: 2-3 feet high, 2 feet wide
Notes: Host plant of the monarch butterfly caterpillar. This low-maintenance plant tolerates poor, dry soil and is drought tolerant. Often seen growing along the side of the road, and even in gravel parking lots. Can be slow to establish, but is long lived once it gets going. Late to come up in spring, so don’t give up on it! Sets a deep taproot so it difficult to transplant. The bright orange blooms attract a wide variety of pollinators.
The native plant spotlight is a new feature, thanks to photographer and naturalist Sharon Mammoser. See more of her her work at Nature for My Soul.