Gay Butterflies Milkweed

If you worry that growing native plants means giving up rich colors, the Gay Butterflies Milkweed will change your mind. This wonderful plant has large clusters of brilliant orange flowers all summer, topping strong stems of healthy, green leaves. It grows to 2 or 3 feet tall, in a full clump about 2 feet wide, fitting perfectly into your perennial beds. You will love the brilliant coloring, in many shades of orange, and also enjoy the visits by Monarch butterflies – milkweed is their only food, so if you see the magnificent caterpillars, dressed up in white, yellow and black stripes, let them be – Mother Nature will thank you for that. In fall, showy seed pods burst open and the wind blows a cascade of seeds – but don’t worry, it’s a native plant and if it spreads to neighboring open ground, or wild parts of your garden, that’s great. Terrific in perennial borders, it looks just as fabulous in wild gardens and rough meadows, and the butterflies will always find it, even in a planter box.

• Rich shades of orange flowers all summer long
• Handsome stiff, green leaves on stems 2 to 3 feet tall
• Drought tolerant and untroubled by deer or rabbits
• Great choice for meadows and wild places, but also for borders and garden beds
• A native plant essential to Monarch Butterflies

The Gay Butterflies Milkweed will grow best in full sun, planted in any well-drained soil, from dry to moist (but not wet). It will grow happily in drier, sandy soils and poor ground. It stands up on it’s own, needing no staking, and the only ‘job’ is cutting the stems to the ground in late fall or early spring. Deer and rabbit proof, and entirely free of pests or diseases. Benefits from some spring mulch if your soil is dry. A great starter plant for those moving into growing native plants, and vital for Monarch butterflies and the local ecosystems. Note that established plants can’t be transplanted.