Three Acre Tablea garden, a kitchen, a good excuse to gather
Asclepias tuberosa
Plate — illustration to come
Native · New Jersey

Butterfly Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa

Perennial flower

The orange one. A dry-meadow milkweed with clusters of small vivid blooms that hold a huge diversity of pollinators through the hot months. Unlike most milkweeds, its sap is not white — a botanical curiosity that makes it easy to identify.

At a glance

The spec sheet.

Habitat
Dry, sandy, or rocky open areas — meadows, roadsides, prairies
Bloom time
June – August
Sun
Full sun
Soil
Dry to medium, well-drained; tolerates sandy and rocky
Moisture
Drought-tolerant once established
Height
1–2 feet
For the wildlife

What it attracts.

The species that visit, feed on, or depend on this plant — and how they use it.

  • Monarch butterfly

    Larval host

    One of the primary host plants for monarch caterpillars

  • Native bees

    Nectar source

    Bumblebees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees

  • Swallowtails

    Nectar source

  • Beetles & wasps

    Nectar source

Notes on growing

Slow to establish from a deep taproot; plant it once and leave it alone. Emerges late in spring — mark its spot so you don't accidentally dig it up. Doesn't transplant well once mature.

Sources

Xerces Society · Jersey-Friendly Yards · Native Plant Society of NJ

Blooms with

Other natives in bloom now.