Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Butterfly weed has striking bright orange blooms unique from the other Milkweed species. The blooms attract a variety of pollinators and are a favorite in many types of gardens. It is one of many native milkweed species that monarch butterfly larvae use as a source of food. The milkweed contains a toxic compound makes the butterfly unpalatable to predators  throughout its lifecycle once consumed. Milkweeds like this species also have medicinal applications and have been used in salves and infusions for various applications for generations by peoples throughout our bioregion. However, they should be prepared with caution due to the plant’s inherent toxicity. We highly recommend checking out the fascinating chapter on milkweeds in Samual Thayer’s foraging book series.

Plants are currently provided in recycled plastic pots donated to our nursery by community members (size varies, especially at the farmstand!) or in soil blocks. Please read more about soil block here.