Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly Weed

🦋Save the Monarch Butterflies!

🌱Every sunny garden in WNC deserves to have these plants!

Asclepias tuberosa aka Butterfly Weed are bushy perennial plants prized for their cheerful, brilliantly orange flowers. These sun-loving, easy to grow plants can handle a range of conditions (especially drier soil), and are drought tolerant once established. They are incredible workhorses in native pollinator gardens.

🦋Monarch Butterflies have a very special relationship with the Asclepias genus. Critically, plants in this genus are the ONLY plants they can lay their eggs on to feed their young. Sadly, monarch population numbers have been crashing and they are on the verge of being on the endangered species list. The great news is that gardeners can be a HUGE part of the solution by planting our WNC native Asclepias tuberosa! The more that can be planted, the better. Asclepias tuberosa flowers also contain ample nectar that attracts many insects.

Asclepias tuberosa plants are ideal for butterfly gardens, cottage gardens, drought tolerant / xeriscaping gardens, native gardens, pollinator gardens, wildlife gardens, and more. 

❤️RCN Staff Favorite - we grow these plants in our own gardens and highly recommend them!

🏆Award winning! 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year® by the Perennial Plant Association, 1985 NC Wildflower of the Year.

🦋Butterfly and Moth Host and Nectar plant. Butterfly Weed plants are the host plants for Monarch, Queen, Soldier, and Gray Hairstreak Butterflies here in NC, and for 20+ species of NC moths.

🐝Helpful to Bees. According to the Xerxes Society, these plants are of special assistance to our native bees. Additionally, Butterfly Weed plants help to attract beneficial insects. 

🐦Bird Magnet! The Audobon Society says that these plants can help Cardinals, Chickadees, Jays, Finches, Hummingbirds, Nuthatches, Blackbirds, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Warblers, Wrens, and more!

🦌Deer usually aren't interested in these plants.

We have a hard time keeping these amazing and important plants in stock!

Moist to relatively dry well-draining soil. Drought tolerant once established.

Full sun.

Zone 3a, cold hardy down to -40F.

💚Plant Nerd: Did you know that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation has a project called the Butterfly Highway where gardeners can create Pollinator Pitstops using native plants such as Butterfly Weed? We're on the map and we'd love for you to join us too! 

Interested in learning more? June is Pollinator and Perennial Month, and every year we host informative workshops and events, including how to create your own pollinator gardens.