Common Name: Butterfly Milkweed

Scientific Name: Asclepias tuberosa

Family: Apocynaceae

Habitat: Meadows, Open Woods

Native: Yes

Life Cycle: Perennial

Bloom Time: Summer

Height: Up to 2 feet

Light: Full sun to partial sun

Soil: Average, Well drained

Pollinators: Monarch butterflies, butterflies, bees, hummingbirds

Description: Butterfly Milkweed, which is a larval host plant for the Monarch butterfly, is a native perennial wildflower that attracts many pollinators including the Monarch butterfly, hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Butterfly Milkweed can be identified by its bright orange flowers which bloom between mid and late summer. Butterfly Milkweed grows naturally in meadows, fields, and open woods where it prefers to grow in full sun and average to dry soil. Unlike other Milkweed flowers, Butterfly Milkweed does not have milky white sap in its stem. Butterfly Milkweed is a wonderful flower to add to any native or pollinator garden! This photo of Butterfly Milkweed was taken in the Woodland Garden at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve.