Toxic if eaten
Mildly toxic - do not eat. Like other milkweeds, all parts contain cardiac glycosides; eating them can cause stomach upset, nausea, and vomiting. Unlike most milkweeds its sap is clear rather than milky, but that sap can still irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves when handling. It is a superb pollinator and monarch host plant - grow it, just do not eat it.
Asclepias tuberosa
flowerButterfly Weed is the orange-flowered milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), a tough native perennial of dry prairies and roadsides across most of the eastern and central US. Flat-topped clusters of brilliant orange (sometimes yellow) blooms top 1 to 2 ft stems from early to late summer, drawing every pollinator in the neighborhood. As a true milkweed it is a host plant for monarch caterpillars, which eat the foliage, while the flowers feed adult monarchs, swallowtails, fritillaries, and native bees. Unlike other milkweeds it has clear (not milky) sap and a deep taproot that makes it intensely drought-tolerant but resentful of transplanting once established.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 7 days
Bloom
~110 days
Difficulty
easy
Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
Spacing
12-18 in. apart
Planting Depth
Crown at soil line
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Soil Type
Sandy, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 – 9
When to Fertilize
None - thrives in lean soil
Fertilizer
None; never enrich
Plant Butterfly Weed in full sun and sharply drained sandy or rocky soil - it rots in rich, wet, or heavy ground. Set plants 12 to 18 in. apart and water until established, after which the deep taproot makes it self-sufficient and drought-proof. It is slow to emerge in spring (do not assume it died). A nursery plant bought already in or near bloom will flower its first summer, but grown from seed it needs cold-moist stratification and usually takes two to three years to establish before it flowers. Because of the taproot it dislikes being moved, so choose its spot carefully. Do not fertilize; lean soil keeps it sturdy. Leave the decorative seed pods or remove them to prevent self-sowing.
🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care — they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.
Start seeds indoors
Feb 18
Transplant outdoors
Apr 15
Projected first bloom
Aug 3
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
The bright-yellow aphids cluster on stems and pods - blast them off with water or simply leave them, since ladybugs and lacewings usually clean them up and they rarely harm the plant
Orange-and-black seed bugs feed on pods; tolerate them as part of the milkweed ecosystem or remove pods if you want to limit them
Butterfly Weed is grown for the garden and for wildlife rather than the vase, though the orange umbels do cut reasonably well - sear the cut stem in hot water for a few seconds to stop the sap and extend vase life. For the pollinator garden, leave the flowers to feed butterflies and the foliage to feed monarch caterpillars. Let some seed pods ripen and split if you want it to self-sow, or snip them off to keep the planting tidy.
Butterfly Weed is one of the single most valuable pollinator plants you can grow: it is a larval host for the monarch butterfly, whose caterpillars feed only on milkweeds, and its nectar feeds adult monarchs, swallowtails, fritillaries, and many native bees. Planting it directly supports the threatened monarch migration. Note that, like all milkweeds, the foliage is toxic if eaten by people or pets.
Mildly toxic - do not eat. Like other milkweeds, all parts contain cardiac glycosides; eating them can cause stomach upset, nausea, and vomiting. Unlike most milkweeds its sap is clear rather than milky, but that sap can still irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves when handling. It is a superb pollinator and monarch host plant - grow it, just do not eat it.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.