Asclepias tuberosa

Description

Butterfly weed is a tuberous rooted, native perennial which occurs in dry/rocky open woods, glades, prairies, fields and roadsides. It features clusters of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers atop upright to reclining, hairy stems with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Flowers give way to prominent, spindle-shaped seed pods (3-6″ long) which split open when ripe releasing numerous silky-tailed seeds for dispersal by the wind. Seed pods are valued in dried flower arrangements.

Flowers are a nectar source for many butterflies and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae (caterpillars).