Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
The classic monarch nursery, with honey-scented summer flowers that perfume an entire meadow.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
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- Plant guide
- Butterfly Weed
Vivid orange
Perennial wildflower
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
A monarch host plant and the brightest orange in the native palette, thriving in lean, dry soil.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwestthe Great Plainsthe South-Central region
Growing Butterfly Weed
Sends down a deep taproot, so site it where it can stay put — it resents being moved. Slow to emerge in spring; mark its spot so you don't dig it up. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, showy, and long-blooming.
Where it grows
Butterfly Weed is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa and 32 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Butterfly Weed on 42 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Butterfly Weed
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Butterfly Weed’s range and conditions.
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A near-continental native with flat flower heads that feed tiny beneficial insects, tough as a weed.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Early flat gold heads that feed the first small bees and host the black swallowtail.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
A well-behaved, clump-forming milkweed for wet ground — a monarch host that also looks at home in a border.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug