Easy care, drought tolerant, and deer resistant, Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) is a bushy perennial prized for its brilliant clusters of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers which bloom continuously throughout summer. Sitting atop upright flowering stems, clad with stiff, lance-shaped leaves, the colorful umbels, 2-5 inches across (5-12 cm), are followed by attractive seed pods in fall. The abundant foliage provides a dark-green backdrop that nicely compliments the cheerful flat umbel flowers. Native to most of the United States and southern Canada, this perennial wildflower has no milky sap, unlike many other milkweeds.

Milkweed plants are critical to monarch butterflies' survival, whose population in North America has plummeted by 90% in the last 20 years. By planting milkweed in your own garden, you can help reverse the fortune of these beautiful insects!

• Grows in sturdy, upright clumps up to 18-24 in. tall and wide (45-60 cm). May freely self-seed in the landscape if seed pods are not removed prior to splitting open.
• Thrives in full sun in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Performs well in poor, dry soils.
• Low maintenance, this perennial plant is generally pest and disease free.
• A vital ingredient of beds and borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, meadows, or prairies. Asclepias tuberosa is also valued for the excellent quality of its cut flowers, whether in bouquets or dried floral arrangements.
• Butterfly Weed flowers are a great nectar source for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
• Propagate by division or root basal cuttings in spring. Does not transplant well and is probably best left undisturbed once established.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.