ORANGE MILKWEED Asclepias tuberosa
Asclepias tuberosa is a species of milkweed native to eastern North America. It is a perennial plant with clustered orange flowers from early summer to early autumn.
It is commonly known as butterfly weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of nectar. It is also the larval food plant of the queen and monarch butterflies. Hummingbirds, bees and other insects are also attracted.
Most easily propagated by seed. Plant in the location that they are to be grown, as they are difficult to transplant once established. This plant favors dry, sand or gravel soil, but has also been reported on stream margins. It requires full sun.
Common names include butterfly weed, Canada root, chieger flower, chiggerflower, fluxroot, Indian paintbrush, Indian posy, orange milkweed, orange root, orange Swallow-wort, pleurisy root, silky swallow-wort, tuber root, yellow milkweed, white-root, windroot, butterfly love, butterflyweed, and butterfly milkweed.
Type: Hardy perennial
Hardiness zones: 3-9
Height: 1 m, 100 cm, 3.3 feet
Location: Sun
Seeds per pack: 20
Note: This plant species is known to have toxicity. Ingestion of these seeds or this plant can cause illness such as vomiting or diarrhea.
Germination: Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just below the surface of the soil and water. Place at 20C/71F. Keep most until germination, which can take approximately 3-4 weeks. Grow in a sunny location.
