Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly Weed

Ohio Native Plant Natural Range

To view the natural range of Asclepias tuberosa visit the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service website.
Asclepias tuberosa - ByJim Wohl
Asclepias tuberosa growing inbetween what looks to be wild carrots

Cultivation Information Butterfly Weed


Pronounced - ass-KLEP_ee-ass
Height - 12 to 18 inchesFlower Color - OrangeBlooms - June - SeptemberSun - Sun/part sun
Hardy Zone - 3 to 9Soil - well drained, never soggypH - 4.5 to 5.5
Family -Asclepidaceae
Over the Years - Butterfly Milkweed does best in a sunny, well drained location. Over watering weakens this . Note this is not to be confused with Buttefly Bush (Buddleia davidii) which is not native to our region
Seed Provenance Asclepias tuberosa
Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN - 2011 - Nodding Onion Gardens - 2012 - present - Roger Dahlin Baldwinsville, NY 2013 - 2014 - Suzy Rafferty, Fairview Park, Ohio, 2014

Monarch Butterfly gracefully perched on Butterfly Weed

Wildlife Significance Butterfly Weed


Nectar - Milkweed flowers are a favorite of numerous butterflies:Hairstreaks,fitillaries Monarchs as well as wasps, flies, humming birds, long and and short -tongued bees.
Host Plant - Monarch Butterfly caterpillars
Deer are not fond of this plant For more details on this plant visit the Illinois Wildflower website

Understanding Milkweed Plants

A Guide to the Milkweeds of Ohio - Natural Treasures oh Ohio
Butterfly Weed Pods on the far Left
Propagation Notes Butterfly Weed
Stratifying Seeds
Seeds placed in Cold Moist Storage Supplies Needed For Seed Stratification - 1. Zip lock plastic bag2. Few table spoons of Vermiculite3. Dampened vermiculite - not soggy4. Store in refrigerator for 30 days Collect Seeds - Harvest seed in fall when pods become brown and crack. Secure pod with a rubber band to prevent seed floating away.
Soaking method -soak seeds for 36 hours then sow as usual. Soaking method works well for Bitterfly Weed