Asclepias tuberosa

Butterfly Milkweed

Showy clump-forming species with tuberous roots; essential food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars.

General Product Information

• Species:

  Butterfly Milkweed

• Species Type:

  Native

• Product Categories:

  Herbaceous Flowering Species, Pollinator Favorites, Uplands & Meadows

• Characteristics:

  Multi-stemmed.

• Habitat:

  Dry woods, abandoned fields, roadsides, shale barrens; grows best in well-drained soils.

• Life Cycle:

  Perennial

• Bloom Period:

  Spring/Fall

• Flower Color:

  Orange

• Typical Height:

  2.9 ft

• Minimum Root Depth:

  16 in

• pH:

  4.8 – 6.8

• Pollinator Value:

  Very High

Indicator Regions

• Northcentral & Northeast:

  NI

• Midwest

  NI

• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont:

  NI

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain

  NI

View Map & Key

Tolerances

• Shade:

  Full Sun

• Drought:

  High

• Salt:

  No

Seed Information

• Approximate seeds per lb:

  70,000

• Seeding rate per acre in a mix:

  Up to 0.5 lb

• Truax Seedbox:

  Fluffy

Included in mixes

• VA Cumberland Plateau UPL Meadow Mix
• VA Solar Pollinator 3′ Mix
• VA Solar Pollinator Buffer Mix
• GA Ridge & Valley UPL Meadow Mix
• GA Cumberland Plateau UPL Meadow Mix
• GA Piedmont UPL Meadow Mix
• GA Coastal Plain UPL Meadow Mix
• GA Blue Ridge UPL Meadow Mix
• SC Mountains UPL Meadow Mix
• NC Coastal Plain UPL Meadow Mix