Botanically known as Asclepias tuberos, butterfly weed is a bright orange perennial that typically blooms from early summer to the first frost. Some garden centers also carry pink (Ascelepius incarnata) and white (Aesclepius incarnata) variations. As its name suggests, the plant attracts butterflies (it’s the only plant that monarch butterflies can lay their eggs on) as well as other garden-friendly insects. If you’re thinking about incorporating this pretty perennial into your garden design, here’s some basic info about the plant.

Basic Characteristics of Butterfly Weed

Native to eastern North America, this colorful plant typically grows from 2 to 3 feet tall. In the wild, it’s found growing in open woods, dry fields, prairies, and meadows as well as along roadsides.

The best way to grow this pollen-rich perennial in your garden is to plant it from seeds, which you can find at most garden centers. In addition to serving as a host plant for a variety of butterflies, including monarch, queen, and grey hairstreak, butterfly weed also attracts bees, lady bugs, and even hummingbirds. 

Growing & Caring for Butterfly Weed

Butterfly weed is one of the easiest perennials to grow, as it requires very little care. It prefers dry, sandy, or rocky soil, and is drought-tolerant once planted—though soil should be kept moist until the plant is established and showing growth in your garden.

Butterfly weed thrives in the sun, blooms dependably from year to year, and requires only a yearly top-dressing of compost for fertilization. It’s not prone to attracting pests, though sometimes you may have to shoo aphids such as greenflies and black flies away. 

How the Perennial Benefits the Monarch Butterfly

According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, California’s population of monarch butterflies declined 86% in 2018 compared to the previous year. In addition to climate change and other environmental factors, researchers believe the decline may be due to loss of natural habitat via mowing and the use of herbicides. Growing butterfly weed in your garden is a great way to give back to nature and help this beautiful species of butterfly survive.
 

If you’re thinking about adding butterfly weed to your garden design, let the professionals at Edgefield Plant & Stone Center help. Based in Greensboro, NC, the experts at this garden center know everything there is to know about the popular perennial and can help you incorporate it beautifully into your home garden. Visit their website to learn more and call (336) 662-0081 to speak with a friendly staff member today.