Butterfly Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa

plant with long green leaves and small, clumped orange flowers
“Butterfly Weed (Asclepia tuberosa)” by Aaron Carlson, via Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0.
flowerhead of small orange flowers
“Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)” by Joshua Mayer, via Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Ecological Benefits: habitat for the larval stages of Monarch, Gray Hairstreak, and Queen Butterflies. Provides nectar to moths, bees, and hummingbirds.

Bloom period: late spring and summer

Best Areas for Planting: dry-medium moisture, full sun, well-drained areas with clay, loamy, sandy, and shallow rocky soils

Natural Habitat: can be found in dry woodlands, clearings, fields, pastures, or on roadsides

Most of the species information is from The Virginia Native Plant Society website, which offers free, extensive pdfs for each region of Virginia, highlighting about 100 native species (there are many more!) and helpful additional information for planning personal projects. If you aren’t from Virginia, you can search for similar resources in your state! To explore other resources and advice, navigate to the guidance page.

Visit the homepage to explore other sites and learn more about native plants.