Butterfly Weed
Don’t let the name fool you - this showy native perennial is a welcome addition to any garden.
Support the struggling monarch population with this low-maintenance, deer-resistant plant.
Planting butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in your garden not only enhances the beauty of your outdoor space, it also contributes to the well-being of the environment by supporting the monarch butterfly population. This native perennial boasts vibrant orange flowers that attract pollinators like butterflies and bees, and it also adds a striking pop of color to your landscape. By cultivating butterfly weed, you'll be providing essential nectar and habitat for monarch butterflies, whose populations have been declining. Butterfly weed is an incredibly low-maintenance landscaping plant, thriving in a variety of soil types and becoming drought-resistant once established. Its deep taproot also aids in erosion control. By adding this resilient plant to your garden, you are supporting biodiversity while creating a beautiful landscape to enjoy.
Butterfly weed is a summer-blooming herbaceous perennial and serves as a host plant for monarch butterflies during their lifecycle. Adult monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of this milkweed plant, and when the tiny caterpillars hatch, the plant leaves provide sustenance and essential nutrients required for their growth and development. Butterfly weed also produces nectar that feeds other butterfly species, bees, and pollinating insects. When flowering is done, elongated seed pods add visual interest to the plant and release fluffy white seed heads into the wind.
How Do I Care for Butterfly Weed?
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a clump-forming native perennial.
Butterfly weed grows in zones 3-9, and was selected as the Perennial Plant Association’s 2017 plant of the year. To successfully grow this U.S. native, select a sunny location and ensure that the soil is well-drained and not overly fertile, as this species prefers drier conditions.
Water regularly to establish new plants and help with root development. Once established, butterfly weed is tough and drought-tolerant, requiring minimal watering and little care. Butterfly weed gets off to a slow start in the springtime, waiting for warmer soil temperatures to begin leafing out.
This plant is native to the fields, roadsides, and open woods of eastern and central North America. New cultivars have come on the market recently, and may not be as widely available as the straight species. ‘Gay Butterflies’ has a vivid mix of orange, red and yellow flowers; ‘Hello Yellow’ has sunny yellow flowers; ‘Western Gold’ has golden orange flowers and thrives in the alkaline soils of the western U.S.; and ‘Prairie Gold’ has golden-yellow flowers.
Is Butterfly Weed Deer-Resistant?
Butterfly weed is rated as “seldom severely damaged” on the Rutgers University list of Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance, and makes a great choice for any garden suffering from heavy deer pressure. Because of its deep taproot, this milkweed does not like to be transplanted and is generally not recommended for containers. The deep taproot can aid in erosion control, making butterfly weed a great choice for mass planting on a sunny, dry slope.
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is native to the fields, roadsides, and open woods of eastern and central North America.
Landscape Design Ideas for Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Garden - Plant butterfly weed along with a mix of other butterfly host plants and nectar plants, such as tall garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum), black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia species), and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Instead of planting single plants, plant larger groups of the same type of plant in a concentrated area or pattern. This will make it easier for butterflies to locate your garden’s food sources and host plants.
Pollinator Garden - create a dedicated pollinator garden by planting butterfly weed alongside other pollinator-friendly plants like mountain mint (Pycnathemum muticum), bee balm (Monarda species), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), summersweet clethra (Itea virginica), and Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicofolia).
Border Garden - Butterfly weed is a striking addition to any mixed border and can be part of a warm color scheme (red, orange, and yellow colored flowers and foliage) or a contrasting color scheme (purple to blue flower colors).
Children’s Garden - Milkweeds are a magnet for all kinds of insects, caterpillars and butterflies. A patch of butterfly weed makes a great place for children to observe nature up close, with buzzing and flying creatures constantly in motion. They may even spot a chrysalis!
Planting Companions for Butterfly Weed
Meadow Sage (Salvia ‘Caradonna’)
Grand Marshall Bee Balm (Monarda ‘AChall’)
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Autumn Joy Stonecrop (Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’)
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea or Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’)
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
A children’s garden, planted with masses of butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium fistulosum).
What are these Bugs on My Milkweed?
At first glance, it can be quite a shock to discover just how many bugs are drawn to butterfly weed. The plant’s irresistible nectar and its role as a host plant make it a hub of activity. Make sure to forego the pesticides and enjoy the array of insects visiting your milkweed plants. Welcome the bugs, caterpillars, and the occasional holes in your plant's leaves as an integral part of gardening for nature. Milkweed bugs, milkweed tussock moth caterpillars, and a diverse array of insect life can be spotted in a milkweed patch. Learn more about which insects frequent milkweed plants here.
