Description
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a type of milkweed that normally produces clusters of vibrant orange flowers in summer atop 1- to 2-foot-tall stems. These color variants—some light orange and some clear yellow—have appeared on their own in my meadow over the last several years. I can’t promise the exact colors these seeds will produce, but I think it is likely that some of the seedlings, at least, will bloom in the lighter colors, and they could be an interesting addition to (or substitute for) the usual bright orange.
Like regular A. tuberosa and common milkweed (A. syriaca), this U.S. native serves as a food source for monarch butterfly larvae, which feed on the leaves. The flowers also attract a variety of adult butterflies, as well as other pollinators. Butterfly weed grows in distinct clumps; no worries about it spreading like some other milkweeds can. Full sun. Perennial; Zones 3 to 9.
Collected in October 2020. Provenance is Bucks County, PA (seeds are from wild plants growing in my meadow). At least 20 seeds.
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