Butterfly Weed Types: How To Grow, Plant, ID Butterfly Milkweed (Dangers)

Image Credit: Danny S.³⁷

How To Identify Butterfly Weed (Orange Milkweed)

Knowing how to identify Butterfly Weed is useful for a few reasons.

First, this plant has medicinal value and practical value when used correctly.

Secondly, orange milkweed is an important host for monarch butterflies.

Thirdly, butterfly milkweed (or any type of milkweed) is poisonous to children as well as cats, dogs, and other animals around the home.

Finally, Butterfly Weed is less aggressive than its brethren, making it an ideal choice for a backyard garden.

Butterfly Weed Flowers

Butterfly Weed flowers are beautiful and quite unique. This plant blooms in the spring and summer with dense clusters (cymes) of bright orange flowers.

The individual flowers are less than an inch in diameter and have a crown shape. Each blossom has three whorls, or layers, each in five parts.

The innermost, the corona, is an upright structure composed of five distinct petals surrounding the reproductive organs in a cup-like shape. Beyond that is the corolla, a set of five longer petals that reflex outward from the center.

Finally, the outer ring is the calyx, formed by five yellow-green sepals.¹²

This plant produces the ideal butterfly flowers, as they attract many types of butterflies with their light fragrance and sweet nectar. The plant itself becomes host to monarch butterfly larvae.

Butterfly Weed Leaves

The deciduous leaves of the Butterfly Weed are actually quite attractive. Butterfly Weed leaves are rich, shiny green, and stiff.

They are narrow and elongated up to six inches, generally lance-shaped with a pointed tip. The leaves are arranged in alternating fashion, creating a loose spiral up the hairy stems.

The margins of each leaf are smooth and the underside has a velvet-like texture. The leaves contain a thin, watery sap.^2,12

Butterfly Weed Pods

The seed capsules of the Butterfly Weed are remarkable. They are very large relative to overall plant size.

The Butterfly Weed pods are spindle-shaped, and they grow upright, up to 6 inches in length! The pods, or follicles, appear in the fall, often in pairs.

The pods are hairy, green when new but ripening to a pinkish red and eventually tan before they dehisce.¹

Butterfly Weed Seeds

Butterfly Weed seeds are easily recognized. When the seed capsules dehisce and burst open in the fall, they release numerous seeds with long silk tufts.

The seeds themselves are flat, brown, and egg-shaped. The many hairs attached to the pointed end of the seeds are long and white, easily dispersed by the wind.¹²

Butterfly Weed Height

A. tuberosa is a rather compact plant that grows in small, dense clumps.¹ The typical mature Butterfly Weed height is between two and three feet, and its spread is approximately one and a half feet.

Growing a Butterfly Weed From a Seed, Cutting, or Seedling

Interested in growing a Butterfly Weed from a seed, cutting, or seedling? The good news is that all of these propagation methods are possible.

Butterfly Weed is most often grown from seeds or seedlings, as the seeds are numerous and readily available. Growing from seedlings is the easiest method, as a small start can be purchased from a nursery ready to plant in spring.

(Image: Salicyna³³)

When growing from seed, it is important to remember that the seeds require a cold stratification period and will need to be refrigerated in a moist medium for a minimum of 6 weeks before they are started indoors or outdoors.¹⁰

Using a cutting is preferred by many as it generates an exact clone of the parent plant which may bloom as soon as its first growing season. To propagate using this method, take 6-inch cuttings during the dormant season, cutting below a leaf node, and removing leaves along the lower stem.

The cutting should be placed in a plastic-covered container filled with distilled water. Place the container out of direct sun and allow one to two months for roots to develop so that the cutting can be potted.¹⁰

Along with how to plant Butterfly Weed, knowing when to plant Butterfly Weed for the best yield is critical.

Butterfly Weed is best planted outdoors in late spring, after the last frost. It is important to plant Butterfly Weed in a permanent location as its long taproot makes it a poor candidate for transplanting.

For other planting tips for Butterfly Weed, remember to allow adequate growing room for the plant. As for how far apart to plant Butterfly Weed, this can depend upon individual preference, but one to three feet of space is generally recommended.

Tips for Growing Butterfly Weed in Containers

Growing Butterfly Weed in containers is pretty simple. The only requirements are that the soil is well-draining and the container is in a place where it receives ample direct sunlight.

Because Butterfly Weed thrives in less-than-ideal soil, there is no need for annual repotting or supplementing.¹⁰

Best Growing Conditions for Butterfly Weed

Butterfly Weed can grow successfully across much of the United States, but it is particularly prominent in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. where its ideal growing conditions are met.

The best growing conditions for Butterfly Weed are with full sun exposure in well-draining, semi-dry, or loamy soils. This plant benefits from long days and grows well in open areas such as meadows and roadsides.¹²

Butterfly Weed Growing Zone

Before planting Butterfly Weed in your home garden, it is important to check out the growing zones for Butterfly Weed (where to grow for best yield).

The Butterfly Weed growing zone ranges from USDA zone 3a all the way through 9b, which essentially covers most of the continental United States (See USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Maps).¹⁷

It does seem to thrive in moderately dry climates, and would likely not be the best candidate for the extremely humid, subtropical areas of the Southern U.S.¹

Butterfly Weed Care

Establishing Butterfly Weed is the most difficult part, and once the plant is established, Butterfly Weed care is really low maintenance.

When nurturing young plants, weed control can be important. Learn to identify weeds by photo and make your own organic weed killer recipe.

(Image: Guettarda³²)

Butterfly Weed is drought-tolerant once established, so the watering needs for Butterfly Weed plants are minimal. It should be watered weekly through its first growing season to help it establish. Water only in extended dry periods once established.⁸

Companion Plants for Growing Butterfly Weed (Annual and Perennial Flowers)

There are many annual and perennial flowers that pair well with Butterfly Weed, and growing A. tuberosa alongside nectar and pollen-producing flowers can attract different types of bees and birds to the garden.

Below are some companion plants for growing Butterfly Weed that have similar growing preferences. The best choices for annual flowers include:³

• Cosmos (Cosmos)¹⁸
• Lantana (Lantana)¹⁹
• Sage (Salvia)²⁰
• Sunflower (Helianthus)²¹
• Zinnia (Zinnia)²²

Some wonderful perennial options include:³

• Bee Balm (Monarda)²³
• Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)²⁴
• Foxglove (Digitalis)²⁵
• Goldenrod (Solidago)²⁶
• Ornamental Onion (Allium)²⁷

How To Stop Butterfly Weed Disease and Other Butterfly Weed Problems

Among the most obvious Butterfly Weed problems is its toxicity, which also happens to be one of its strengths. Because the sap of the plant contains cardiac glycosides, it is fairly resistant to mammalian grazing of rabbits and deer.

However, it can pose a danger to household pets and livestock if ingested. Fortunately, Butterfly Weed sap is not as toxic as the thick, milky sap of other milkweeds.

Another issue is that the plant can be somewhat weedy due to its tendency to self-seed. This issue can be easily circumvented by removing seed pods before they dehisce.

Mammalian pests may not pose much of a problem for this plant but insect pests still can. The most common pests of the Butterfly Weed include aphids (Aphis)²⁸ and the red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus)²⁹ which feed on the foliage.

The easiest natural pest control for Butterfly Weed is to spray the plant with water to remove insect pests. Pests can also be removed by hand. Insecticidal soaps are also useful.

The most frequent diseases to impact Butterfly Weed include rust, crown rot, powdery mildew, and leaf spot which are caused by various fungal diseases. The best Butterfly Weed disease prevention is to avoid overwatering the plant and only water at its base, as excess moisture creates an environment where fungi can thrive.

As for how to stop Butterfly Weed disease once it has begun, this can be more difficult and often requires the use of fungicides. If caught early enough, infected plant parts can sometimes be pruned away to preserve healthy parts of the plant.

Plant hygiene is very important here and all tools should be cleaned and diseased plant parts disposed of properly.⁴

What Is Yellow Butterfly Weed?

Butterfly Weed is known for its bright, very orange flower clusters, but what many people may not realize is that this wildflower has a yellow cultivar.

(Image: Andrey Zharkikh³⁵)

‘Hello Yellow’ is a yellow Butterfly Weed that boasts dense clusters of golden yellow blossoms.¹⁶ Other cultivars include ‘Western Gold Mix’ and ‘Gay Butterflies.’³

Butterfly Weed vs. Milkweed

Butterfly Weed is one of many types of milkweed in the genus, Asclepias, and it shares many of its most prominent features with its close relatives, such as its flower structure, attraction for pollinators, and mild floral fragrance. However, in examining Butterfly Weed vs milkweeds of other varieties, there are also some characteristics that set it apart.

For example, milkweed is so named because most types produce milky sap in their stems and leaves, but Butterfly Weed does not. Many milkweeds, including the common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) tend to be weedy due to their ability to spread by stolons and rhizomes.

Butterfly Weed does not share this growth habit.¹³ Leaf arrangement also differs: most milkweeds have opposing leaves, but butterfly milkweed has leaves that are arranged alternately in a loose spiral up the stem.

Butterfly Weed vs. Chigger Weed (Identifying Chigger Plants)

Although one of the common names of Asclepias tuberosa is “chiggerflower,” the Butterfly Weed is not any more susceptible to chigger infestations than other plants.⁷ In fact, it is not the only plant sometimes known as chigger weed.

Another “chigger plant” is Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota),³¹ whose umbels of tiny white flowers are often seen dotted with the tiny, skin-irritating mites, hence “chigger flower.” Since chiggers are not exclusive to any one plant, it is more useful to know how to identify the chiggers themselves and avoid areas where chiggers may be abundant.

(Image: American Lotus³⁴)

Chiggers are species of the genus Trombicula, tiny arachnids who attach themselves to host animals in their infancy (larval stage) and feed on skin cells for a few days to prepare for maturation into nymphs. Only the larvae are parasitic.

Chiggers prefer humid climates, and they are commonly found in damp, shady areas with dense undergrowth of weeds. They often ascend to the highest point of plants to facilitate host attachment.⁶

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Facts

Butterfly Weed or butterfly milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, is a native wildflower in the milkweed genus (Asclepias) of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae).³⁰

There are more than 200 species of milkweed, 73 of which are native to the United States. Among milkweeds, Butterfly Weed is unique in that it is both less weedy and less toxic than other species.

A. tuberosa has many common names, such as orange milkweed, orange Butterfly Weed, pleurisy root, and Indian paintbrush. It is a beautiful, vibrant wildflower with a rich history. Butterfly Weed symbolism is quite interesting, and it is known to represent the ideas of transformation and rebirth and has become a symbol for Central and South American immigrant communities because of its relationship with the well-known monarch butterfly, a perpetual migrant.⁹

Here are some interesting Butterfly Weed facts:^{1, 2, 5, 9, 12, 15}

1. Although milkweed species are the sole hosts of monarch butterfly larvae, butterfly milkweed is known to attract many types of butterflies.
2. Historically, parts of the Butterfly Weed were used to treat lung and chest ailments, and this can still be seen in Latin America.
3. Butterfly Weed has a long, thick taproot. The plant may be divided by separating the taproot into multiple pieces and replanting, but in general, butterfly milkweed does not tolerate transplanting well.
4. The thinner sap of Butterfly Weed is less toxic than the thick, milky sap of most milkweeds and is considered a safer (though not without risk!) alternative around children and pets.
5. The silken tufts attached to Butterfly Weed seeds have been spun into candle wicks.
6. The fibers of milkweed stalks were used to make yarn for fabric or to form strong cord and rope.

Why Is Butterfly Weed Called Pleurisy Root?

Butterfly Weed has been used medicinally by Native American and European American people for centuries. According to the USDA’s Asclepias tuberosa Plant Guide, it has been used to treat diarrhea, blindness, sore throat, rashes, colic, snakebite, and even sometimes as a contraceptive.¹²

Possibly its most well-documented medicinal application is for the relief of inflammation in the lungs and airways, hence the common name “pleurisy root.” A. tuberosa stimulates the vagus nerve, dilates the bronchial tubes, and increases fluid circulation and drainage.^2,12

(Image: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz³⁶)

Asclepias tuberosa has been disparaged over the years, deemed and treated as a noxious weed though it does not display the aggressive growth tendencies common to “weeds,” unlike many of its milkweed relatives.

In fact, milkweeds of the Asclepias genus are the sole host plants for the treasured monarch butterfly, and Butterfly Weed may be the best option for an easy-to-maintain monarch habitat.

Understanding the planting needs and care tips that support Butterfly Weed growth and health can help ensure that your outdoor ecosystem thrives.