
Butterfly Milkweed, Chiggerflower Indian Paintbrush, Pleurisy Root, Chieger Flower, Orange Milkweed
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), a member of the Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family), is a herbaceous perennial that grows to 3 feet tall and blooms in the spring and summer with orange/yellow flowers. Here at McMullen House this plant seems to be favored by rabbits.
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus)

Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle)

Butterfly Weed is a nectar plant for bees, wasps, and other butterflies.

Butterfly Weed is often found in open areas such as fields, open woods, roadsides, and prairies. It is native to most of North America, except for the northwest.
Native Americans used to chew the roots of this plant for pleurisy, hence the reason for one of the alternate names. This plant was also the 1985 Wildflower of the Year in North Carolina (NC Extension Gardener). The species name refers to the roots (Missouri Botanical Garden).
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Links
Webpages
North Carolina Extension Gardener
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
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