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Butterfly Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa

Botanical illustration of Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Botanical plate of Asclepias tuberosa — Curtis-style illustration.

Asclepias tuberosa, Asclepiadaceae, Butterfly Weed, fruits. The roots are used in homeopathy as remedy: Asclepias tubero

Species from central and eastern North America Common name: Butterfly Milkweed Photographed in the Camp Robinson Special

Asclepias tuberosa, commonly known as butterfly weed, is a species of milkweed native to eastern and southwestern North America. It is commonly known as butterfly weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of nectar.

Quick Facts
Scientific name Asclepias tuberosa
Family Apocynaceae
Height 1-2 ft
Bloom time Jun-Aug
Sun Full sun
Moisture Dry
Soil Sand, loam
Wildlife value Monarch host plant; the orange one, and the driest-site milkweed

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Image Credits

  • H. Zell (CC BY-SA 3.0)
  • Eric Hunt (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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