Asclepias tuberosa
Perennial

USDA Zones: 4 - 10
Light: sun
Height:  2 to 4 feet
Width:  10 to 24 inches
Flower Colors: bright reds, yellows, oranges
Bloom Time: late spring - summer
Special Features:
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Beds/Borders
CutFlowers
Cutting
Deer Resistant
Easy to Grow
Flowers
Good for Drying
Prairie
Showy Flowers
Showy Foliage
Showy Seedheads/Fruit
Showy Seedheads/Fruit/Berries
Tolerates Drought
Tolerates Salt
U.S. Native
US Native/Wildflower
Companion Plants:
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Butterflies will flock to your garden when when you add the appropriately-named butterfly weed. Its clusters of orange, yellow, pink, and vermillion flowers appear in mid- to late summer, and are followed by thin, ornamental seed pods. Butterfly weed can reach 1 to 3 feet in height and is slow to emerge in the spring so mark its location well. Fairly drought-resistant, butterfly weed grows in many conditions except in soil that is wet or has lots of clay. It's a durable plant that is not susceptible to many pests or disease.

Notable Varieties
'Gay Butterflies' is a pleasing mix of colors.
'Hello Yellow' bears yellow blooms.

Care
Likes average to poor soil with good drainage; fairly drought-tolerant. Mulch to prevent disease. Avoid fertilizing. Cut flowers freelyit often encourages a second bloom. Make sure plants are well-marked in fall as they appear later than other perennials. Don't bother dividing; plants have a long, brittle tap root that usually doesn't survive division.

Planting
Plant nursery seedlings in spring; or sow seeds directly in the garden. Space 15 inches apart. Established plants do not transplant well.

Pests and Diseases
Yellow aphid can be a problem in summer.