Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Butterfly Weed in Garden — author image
Alternative Names
Butterfly Milkweed, Chiggerflower, Indian Paintbrush, Pleurisy Root, Chieger Flower, Orange Milkweed
Description of Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
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. More about butterfly weed can be found on this blog post.
Hosted Species
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Monarch Butterfly on Green Flower — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus)
Queen Butterfly on a Branch — Korall, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
Gray Hairstreak on White Flower — ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Nectar Species
Butterfly weed is a nectar plant for bees, wasps, and other butterflies.
Habitat
This milkweed grows in open areas such as fields, open woods, roadsides, and prairies.
Range of Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in the United States and Canada
Interesting Facts
The genus name, Asclepias, is the Greek name for the God of Medicine. The species name, tuberosa, is Latin for the tuberous roots. This plant was the 1985 Wildflower of the Year in North Carolina.
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