Butterflyweed is a long-lived herbaceous perennial in the milkweed family (Apocynaceae, formerly Asclepidaceae) that is endemic to much of North America excluding the northwest, from eastern Canada south to Florida, west to the Dakotas down to Colorado, and southwest, save Nevada, into California. Asclepias tuberosa is found in prairies and meadows, open woods, along roads and other open areas in zones 3-9. Other common names include butterfly milkweed, orange milkweed, pleurisy root, and chigger flower.
This bushy perennial forms a clump 11/2 to 3 feet tall and broad with an abundance of dark green foliage on several upright to ascending stems from a huge taproot. Native Americans employed its rough, woody, knobby root, which can grow several feet deep, for medicinal purposes. The alternate lanceolate to oblong leaves are often clustered together on the sturdy, hairy stalks that range in color from green to dull reddish-purple. Each leaf is sessile or has a very short petiole, pointed at the end and toothed on the margins, and can be up to 6 inches long. The upper side is smooth and shiny, while the underside is delicately hairy, especially along the veins, and lighter in color. This species, unlike most members of the milkweed family, does not have milky sap. Before the stems die back to the ground for the winter, the leaves develop a dismal yellow color. It’s better to avoid cutting back the leaves in the fall and instead wait until April. Late in the spring, plants are hesitant to emerge.
From late spring to summer, large, flat to slightly dome-shaped umbels (clusters) of up to 25 bright orange star-shaped blooms appear at the ends of hairy flowering stems or in upper leaf axils. Each 3/8-inch-wide fleshy flower features five reflexed petals (corolla) and a five-parted crown (corona) with five curved horns sprouting from hoods arching over a short white to light green column in the middle.
There are yellow or red cultivars (such as ‘Hello Yellow’ and ‘Gay Butterflies’) as well as naturally occurring populations, all of which have a yellow central column. Each cluster measures 2-5 inches in diameter and provides a great landing spot for butterflies. Below the petals are five hairy, light green sepals that are hidden when the flowers open. The flowers are particularly attractive to hummingbirds and many insects, not just butterflies, and can also be used as cut flowers because they produce vast amounts of nectar. A month after deadheading, a second flush of flowers may appear.
Flowers that have been successfully cross-pollinated are followed by prominent, upright, slender, spindle-shaped seed pods with short hairs (the fruit is a follicle). When ripe, the 3-6 inch long grayish-green pods split open, releasing hundreds of flattened, brown seeds, each with a narrow wing along the margins and a tuft of long, silky hairs (a pappus) at one end that aids in wind dissemination. If plants are allowed to go to seed, butterflyweed may self-seed in the landscape; remove the pods before they split open to prevent self-seeding. Dried floral arrangements can be made using the seed pods.
This eye-catching plant is ideal for home gardens, prairies, native plantings, naturalizing, rain gardens, and butterfly gardens. They can be used in mass plantings or as an accent in the sunny border with other mid-sized perennials. The vibrant orange color stands out, especially when combined with blue or purple flowers, yet it can be difficult to blend into some environments. In a mixed garden, butterfly weed can be used with blue morning glories, globe thistle (Echinops spp. ), Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red,’ or purple speedwells (Veronica spicata or hybrids).
In a meadow or prairie, it pairs nicely with yellow coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), goldenrod (Solidago spp. ), blazing star (Liatris spp. ), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and R.fulgida, as well as grasses like small bluestem (Schizachyrium scopa Because it is a larval host plant for several butterflies, including the monarch (Danaus plexippus) and the related Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus, which is found primarily in Central America and the southern United States but occasionally strays into the Midwest), you may want to place it in the landscape where it will not be an eyesore if it is eaten ragged by caterpillars.
To bloom, this plant need full sun. Butterflyweed grows on practically any type of soil, including gravel and clay, as long as it is well-drained, despite its preference for sandy soil. Once established, it is drought tolerant. Although deer avoid this plant, it is quite likely to be plagued with aphids, most commonly the brilliant yellow oleander aphid with black legs (an introduced species native to the Mediterranean but almost cosmopolitan in distribution now). These insects will not harm the plant in large quantities, and they are frequently devoured by lady beetles or other predators. Insecticidal soap can be used to control large populations, or the insects can be knocked off the plant using a strong stream of water. Plants may be eaten by rabbits.
This species is easy to cultivate from seed, however root cuttings can also be used to reproduce it. In the fall, cut the taproot into 2-inch portions and plant vertically. Plants bloom in 2-3 years from seed and do not transplant well because to their deep taproot. Sow after the last frost in the fall, in a cold frame in the early spring, or start inside with bottom heat in late winter (8-10 weeks before typical last frost) after 1 month wet stratification to transplant outside later. When seedlings are grown in 3-4 inch deep containers, especially with separate cells, the roots can grow deeper and seedlings can be moved more easily without harming the roots.
Does butterfly weed bloom all summer?
What is a butterfly weed, and what does it look like? Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) is a trouble-free North American native that blooms in umbels of vivid orange, yellow, or red blossoms all summer. The nectar and pollen-rich flowers of butterfly weed attract hummingbirds, as well as swarms of butterflies, bees, and other helpful insects, throughout the blooming season. Do you want to learn more about butterfly weed and how to grow it? Continue reading.
How long does it take for butterfly weed to bloom?
Butterfly Weed is a North American herbaceous perennial. It blooms for up to two months in the summer, with a typical blooming period of June to August.
This flower, which grows naturally in prairies and grasslands, is a vital plant for wildlife.
The major pollinators are bees, but it also serves as a home for a variety of butterflies.
Monarch Butterflies lay their eggs on this species of the Asclepias genus (milkweed).
Butterfly Weed Lifespan
Butterfly Weed is a long-lived perennial that thrives in a variety of soil conditions. Butterfly Milkweed bloomed for the first time this year in good soil. This, however, is not normal.
Butterfly Weed will blossom in its second year after being grown from seed.
Butterfly Weed should reach full size in the third or fourth year.
Butterfly Weed Growth Cycle
Butterfly Weed has a perennial life cycle. It will bloom in late Spring, much later than the majority of other plants. It will quickly grow to a height of 1-2 and bloom for about a month in early summer. Seed pods will appear in late summer or early autumn. The pods will ripen, open, and disseminate their seed before dying back to the ground.
Butterfly Weed Stalk
Stalks will grow to be 12-30 tall, with branching in the upper half where flowering takes place. When mature, many stems will emerge from a central root crown. The stem has a dark-purple tint to it and is covered in fine hairs.
Butterfly Weed Leaf Identification
On the stalk, the Butterfly Weed leaves are alternating and measure about 3 long by 1/2 wide with smooth margins. Veins run through most leaves, with the central vein being the most conspicuous. It’s very typical for your Butterfly Weed leaves to curl upward lengthwise.
Butterfly Weed leaves are stunning on their own. They’re dark green in the middle and slightly yellow on the edges. The upper surface is usually smooth and hairless, with a lustrous or waxy appearance.
The leaves’ undersides are a lighter shade of green, creating a pretty beautiful color shift.
Butterfly Weed leaves turning yellow
In most cases, the leaves are dark green on top and light green underneath. The margins are frequently golden in color. This has happened to me before, and I’ve found it to be perfectly normal. Butterfly Weed leaves (especially lower leaves) become yellow as the season progresses.
It could imply a few things if you notice the full leaf turning yellow before Autumn.
A nutritional deficit or an excessive amount of water. Alternatively, many native plants’ lower leaves become yellow and fall off when they lose sunlight.
If you’re concerned, top-dressing the plant with compost is the safest option.
Any nutritional deficits that the plant may be facing can be remedied by applying a 1-2 thick ring of compost around it.
If that doesn’t get rid of the yellow leaves, think about
Butterfly Weed Flower
Butterfly Weed blooms are made up of clusters (umbels) of 10-30 individual orange flowers, each measuring 1-3 inches in diameter. They resemble milkweed flowers, with five petals, sepals, and hoods with horns.
Butterfly Weed Blooming Season
Butterfly Weed blooms can last up to eight weeks, beginning in June and ending in August. However, in late August/September, you may be treated to extra blossoming.
Butterfly Weed seed pods
Butterfly Weed pods will open in early autumn, and the plant will go to seed. Butterfly Weed produces pods that are 2-4 inches long and 1/2 inch broad after the blossoms have faded. The seeds are contained in these pods, which begin maturing in late summer to early fall.
When fully ripe, these pods will open and disperse seeds carried by the wind on a feather.
Seeds have the ability to spread far and wide, colonizing disturbed, bare terrain.
Will butterfly weed bloom the first year?
Milkweed, also known as asclepias, is native to North America, and one of them, Asclepias tuberosa, has been named Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association this year. This plant, sometimes known as butterfly weed or butterfly milkweed, has bright orange flowers that attract a variety of butterflies and bees with nectar and pollen. Butterfly weed’s leaf isn’t a favorite meal of monarch caterpillars, but it can help them survive. This drought-tolerant plant prefers a dry, sunny environment and is hardy in Zones 3 to 9.
Upright stems with clusters of bright orange flowers contrast attractively with the shiny green leaves of butterfly weed. Unlike other members of the genus, the stem sap is not milky. This milkweed is not invasive since it does not spread by runners like common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Although deer are not attracted to butterfly weed, aphids can be an issue in gardens and greenhouses.
This plant is expected to be in great demand in the next years. Butterfly weed blooms readily the first year after seeding, but there are a few crucial elements to remember if you want to grow it professionally.
This species displays some of the most extreme photoperiod reactions we’ve ever seen. It’s an obligatory long-day plant, which means it has to flower during long days. When grown at an average of 68° F, plants develop quickly under photoperiods of 14 hours or more, and begin flowering about eight to nine weeks after transplant. Plants that are exposed to photoperiods of 12 hours or less, on the other hand, die dormant after a few days (Figure 1, pictured above). Leaves droop, shoot growth appears to stop, and existing flower buds may suffocate (Figure 2). Unfortunately, simply reverting to longer days will not return the plants to active growth. A nine-week or longer cold treatment is required to break this dormancy; in our testing, all dormant plants treated to 41° F for 15 weeks bloomed.
It is critical to provide long days to plants in order to keep them actively growing. We propose at least 16 hours of daylight or four hours of night disruption illumination. A minimum intensity of 2 molm2s1 should be delivered by photoperiodic illumination. Use incandescent lights or LED bulbs intended to control blooming that emit both red and far-red radiation. Maintain these extended photoperiods for plants until natural daylengths reach at least 14 hours.
Butterfly weed has a huge tap root, making transplanting or dividing established plants difficult. It’s critical to utilize a well-drained medium in container production, so consider adding more perlite to a standard peat+perlite mix. During production and cold treatments, be careful not to over-water. The taproot attracts fungus gnat larvae, so keep an eye on the roots if your plants aren’t doing well.
Butterfly weed can grow up to 3 feet tall in the wild, but in container production, our plants were only 12 to 18 inches tall when they first bloomed. Sprays of daminozide (e.g., B-Nine, Dazide), paclobutrazol (e.g., Piccolo, Bonzi), and uniconazole (e.g., Piccolo, Bonzi) are apparently helpful for height management (e.g., Sumagic, Concise). To help fill out containers, use many plugs per pot or squeeze seedlings soon after transplant.
Why is my butterfly weed not blooming?
Milkweed species have varied growth tactics, so it all relies on which one you have. Milkweed, in general, does not flower in its first year of growth since it is concentrating its efforts on developing a strong root system. Milkweed may not flower if there is too much nitrogen in the soil, so don’t fertilize it. Finally, if the plant is stressed, such as by drought or severe heat, milkweed may not blossom. Fortunately, monarch butterflies will deposit their eggs on milkweed even if it isn’t in bloom. Because the caterpillars consume the plant’s leaves, your milkweed can still serve as a host plant even if it doesn’t have flowers. Milkweed can also expand by its root system (depending on the species), thus even if it doesn’t flower or go to seed, the plant can spread that way.
When should you cut back milkweed?
During the fall and winter months, trim the milkweed stems to about 6 inches in height to dissuade monarchs from establishing winter-breeding colonies. Cutting back the milkweed will also aid in the removal of any OE spores that may be present. As the leaves re-sprout, re-cut the milkweed every several weeks. Because tropical milkweed dies back naturally when it freezes, it may offer fewer problems in the northern monarch breeding region.
These instructions do not apply in south Florida (south of Orlando), where a distinct, non-migratory monarch population has existed for many years. In this location, however, native milkweed planting is still recommended.
Is butterfly weed an annual or perennial?
Use as a cut flower: Butterfly weed creates a lovely cut flower. Perennial garden, strong color, attractive blooms, showy, long-lived
Does butterfly weed rebloom?
During the spring and summer, butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) develops green foliage and clusters of little red, orange, or yellow flowers. Plant hardiness zones 4 through 10 according to the US Department of Agriculture. The plant dies back each winter, but if correctly clipped, it reappears each year from its perennial root system. If consumed, all components of the butterfly weed are poisonous.
When should butterfly bushes be trimmed?
Butterfly bushes are simple to grow, but you must understand their preferences and needs in order to achieve optimal success.
- The butterfly shrub need full sun to thrive. When we say full sun, we mean it: butterfly bush needs at least 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Plant them where they get at least 6 hours of sun, even in hot climes.
- Butterfly bushes require excellent drainage. Their roots are susceptible to rotting, and they can be stunted or even die if they spend too much time in moist soil. The majority of the time, if you lose a butterfly bush after winter, it’s because the plant sat in cold, wet soil in the fall or spring.
- Butterfly bush can grow in clay soil, but it will need a few modifications. If you have clay soil, there are a few tips that will boost your success with butterfly bush because they require adequate drainage and despise cold, wet conditions:
- Never add anything to the soil. At planting time, don’t add any top soil, potting soil, compost, or anything else. Plant straight in your existing soil. This is true for all plants, but it is especially true for butterfly bush, because amending any soil, especially clay soil, can cause drainage issues.
- Plant “high” – rather than placing the plant at the same level as other plants, dig a little shallower hole (yes, that means less effort!) and place it so that the plant’s base is little higher than the ground. This forms a little “hill” that directs water away from the plant rather than around it.
- Mulching immediately around your butterfly bush is not a good idea. Mulch is a terrific idea for other plants, but it can hold too much moisture in clay soil. Mulch your beds, but leave some space between your butterfly bush and the main stems, and never mulch all the way up to the main stems.
- After the new growth develops in the spring, prune. As part of their fall clean-up, many individuals chop back their butterfly bush. However, in colder climates, this can make your butterfly bush more vulnerable to harm throughout the winter. Wait until you see green buds on the stems before pruning. Cut immediately above the point where huge, healthy leaf buds have grown. New growth can take several weeks to appear in the spring; be patient and resist the impulse to trim them back too soon.
- However, you should prune your butterfly bush. Large butterfly bushes can become “second story” plants if they aren’t pruned: their flowers form high up at the top, making them impossible to enjoy unless you have a second story window. Cut back your butterfly bush more in the spring if you live in a hotter area. Even dwarf types like our Lo & Behold series require pruning; the difference is that you’ll be cutting back less than you would on an 8′ tall variety.
- Patience is required. Butterfly bushes are one of the last plants to emerge in the spring. Even though everything else in your yard is going green, your butterfly bush is still alive and well. Many individuals advise waiting until Father’s Day (the third Sunday in June) to be sure their butterfly bush has died. Even if it takes that long, seeing how rapidly a butterfly bush can rebound can be rather startling! Plants that Make Spring Snooze Button explains more about this phenomena in our post Plants that Make Spring Snooze Button.
- Don’t overwater your plants. Watering should be done with caution, especially if you have clay soil. Check to see whether your irrigation system is flooding your butterfly bush. Weak stems, fewer flowers, and dieback are all signs of overwatering.
- Planting in the fall is not recommended. Because butterfly bush might suffer from winter damage in cold climates, it’s better to allow them as much time as possible to establish themselves before the cold, wet season arrives. Keep butterfly bush planting time to spring through mid-summer in USDA zones 5 and 6, especially, so the plants have plenty of time to grow a strong root system that will keep them alive over the winter.
How tall does swamp milkweed get?
Asclepias incarnata, or swamp milkweed, is named after Asklepios, the Greek deity of medicine. Incarnata gets its name from the Latin words carn, which means flesh, and atus, which means resembling, because its color resembles flesh or a dusty rose.
Swamp milkweed is a tall herbaceous moist-loving perennial that prefers sunny openings in swamps, marshes, bogs, fens, and along stream banks and ditches. When broken, this sturdy and erect stemmedplant grows three to five feet tall and, like its common milkweed cousin, emits a milky fluid.
The smooth narrowleaves of swamp milkweed are lance-shaped with sharp ends and come in pairs. The leaf’s edges may bend inward and upward, resembling the prow of a ship.
Colors of the fragrant umbelled flower clusters range from light mauve to pink to reddish-violet. Five teeny-tiny delicate petals are capped with five nectar cups, which are essential for pollination. Each little cup has an upward curling horn within it. A fly lands on the blossom and lands on the horn. Its leg enters a passage between the cups to collect pollen. As it visits additional flowers, the same process is repeated. It transports its pollinia in enormous saddlebags before depositing them to fertilize other plants (sometimes insects are not strong enough to pulltheir feet out of the slits and they are trapped there and die). Milkweed fruit/seeds are linked to silky down and housed in longone-chambered follicles, or pods, which have an attractive appearance. When the follicles dry, they split open and release the seeds into the wind via their downy parachutes.
The monarch butterfly, in particular, is attracted to swamp milkweed, which draws a large number of butterflies. The monarch butterfly only lays its eggs on milkweeds when it isn’t nectaring. It will grow in typical garden soil as long as it is not completely dry, particularly in the spring. As a result, it’s a great addition to a native plant garden.
Should I cut back butterfly weed?
If you want to tidy up your butterfly weeds and encourage new development, cut them back by 1/3 to 1/2 in early spring before new growth begins. You might also wait until after the spring Monarch butterfly migration has gone before pruning.