Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) adds the perfect pop of orange to a sunny garden and serves as a host plant for Monarch butterflies, just like all members of the Asclepias genus. This tough, medium-sized perennial delivers a long season of vibrant summer color and thrives where other plants struggle!

Blooming from June through September, its showstopping, flat-topped clusters of fiery orange flowers rise above branched stems with bright green, lance-shaped foliage. Exceptionally drought tolerant, Butterfly Milkweed prefers dry, well-drained soil in full sun and performs beautifully near hot hardscapes, gravel, and rocky areas.

In fall, greenish-gray seed pods form and split open to release silky seeds that float gracefully in the wind. Beyond supporting Monarch caterpillars, Asclepias tuberosa attracts a wide variety of pollinators and even hummingbirds, making it a resilient and ecologically valuable addition to any full sun garden!