Butterfly Weed
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a bright-flowering plant that attracts butterflies and tolerates drought.
Common name: Butterfly weed
Botanical name:Asclepias tuberosa
Virtues: Bright summer flowers. They attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Also acts as a host plant for the larvae of several butterfly species.
Flowers: Small, bright orange flowers are held in large, flat clusters. Blooms from spring through summer.
Habit: Herbaceous upright perennial 1 to 3 feet tall and as wide.
Season: Summer.
Origin: Prairies, open woods and hillsides of the eastern two-thirds of North America.
Cultivation: Grow in full sun or partial shade. Prefers sandy soil but will adapt to other types as long as drainage is good. Tolerates drought. Susceptible to aphids, which can be removed with a strong blast of water from the hose. USDA Zones 3–9.
Top image courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
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