Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Butterfly milkweed is a long-lived, erect to reclining, perennial herb, reaching 1-3 feet tall. Unlike most milkweeds, it does not have milky sap and has mostly alternate leaves. The stems are hairy and usually branched toward the top. The deciduous leaves are stiff, lance-shaped, and dark green. The numerous, yellow-orange to orange-red flowers bloom in stalked, flat-topped, terminal clusters. Flowers from May through September. Butterflies and hummingbirds visit the flowers. The narrow spindle-shaped fruit contains many hairy-tufted seeds. Three subspecies are recognized. Found throughout much of North America, except for the northwest, it occurs on well-drained soils in open woods, prairies, fields, roadsides, and rocky open slopes. Frequently planted in native plant gardens. Larval host for grey hairstreak, monarch, and queen butterflies. Its roots have been used for treatment of pleurisy and other pulmonary ailments, though excess ingestion can be toxic. Also known as butterflyweed, orange milkweed, orange swallow-wort, chigger-weed, and pleurisy root. Sometimes placed in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). Listed as endangered in NH, threatened in VT, species of special concern in RI, exploitably vulnerable in NY, and possibly extirpated in ME.

Copyright Brett Miley