Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa Asclepias tuberosa, also known as butterfly weed, is a wonderful perennial plant native to Texas. It thrives beautifully in the dry, rocky open woods, meadows, prairies, fields, and roadsides across the state. This charming plant typically grows in a delightful clump ranging from 1 to 2.5 feet tall and showcases clusters (umbels) of bright, cheerful orange to yellow-orange flowers perched atop hairy stems with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Unlike many milkweeds, this lovely species doesn't have milky-sapped stems.   The vibrant butterfly weed flowers transition into spindle-shaped seed pods, measuring 3 to 6 inches long, which split open when ripe, releasing a multitude of silky-tailed seeds that dance through the wind. The seed pods are a favorite in dried flower arrangements, and this plant has a wonderfully long bloom period, spanning from late spring to summer. The flowers are a delightful source of nectar for many butterflies, while the leaves serve as a nutritio