Asclepias tuberosa Gay Butterflies Mix

Asclepias tuberosa Gay Butterflies Mix is a brilliantly colored mix of native Butterfly Weed in shades of fiery red, orange, and yellow, blooms in June through August, when flowers appear in dense clusters. Butterfly Weed adds sizzle to the hot-colored border and is magical with Liatris, Echinacea and native grasses such as Little Bluestem and Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis). Slim, decorative seed pods, coveted by flower arrangers, later open to release papery seeds on silky parachutes. A favorite of pollinators and other beneficial insects, these well-behaved drought-tolerant milkweeds, essential for the survival of Monarch butterflies, are avoided by deer. They require well-drained soil. Asclepias tuberosa was named Perennial Plant of the Year® by the Perennial Plant Association. Because we cannot guarantee the complete assortment of bloom colors in this seed mix, we offer the plants in multiples of 3 to provide a sampling of the full color range.

Of the 200 species in the genus Asclepias, the best known are North American wildflowers. They have small, curiously shaped blooms that appear in dense clusters. These plants provide nourishment for Monarch butterflies through all their life stages, and are essential for their survival.

For more information on the growing and care of Asclepias tuberosa, click Growing Guide.