# butterfly milkweed (*Asclepias tuberosa*) Butterfly milkweed is a bright orange flower that attracts butterflies and other pollinators. It grows in sunny places and has long, narrow leaves that look like little swords. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 99 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Orange milkweed ![butterfly milkweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Asclepias_tuberosa_in_Farmington%252C_CT_4.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ragesoss, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepias_tuberosa_in_Farmington%252C_CT_4.jpg) ## Appearance The butterfly milkweed has clusters of vibrant orange to yellow-orange flowers that form flat-topped domes. Unlike many other milkweeds, its stems and leaves do not produce milky sap. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves are usually bright green. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Gentianales - **Family:** Apocynaceae - **Genus:** Asclepias ## Interesting facts - Its fluffy seeds are carried by the wind like tiny parachutes, traveling far distances! - Native Americans used its roots for medicine, even to treat various illnesses! - The flowers have tiny 'traps' to help insects carry pollen packets away! - Unlike other milkweeds, this one doesn't produce milky white sap! ## Special abilities - **Monarch Feast:** Butterfly milkweed can feed monarch caterpillars, which are immune to its mild toxins, helping them grow into butterflies. - **Nectar Beacon:** This plant has bright, clustered flowers that act as a visual target, attracting many different pollinators. - **Wind Rider Seeds:** Butterfly milkweed produces seeds with silky parachutes that catch the wind, allowing them to spread far and wide. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-0.7 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Larval host; caterpillars feed on leaves. - **Pollinates:** European honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Large bees are effective pollinators. - **Depends on:** [Oleander aphid](https://www.snappit.app/explore/oleander-aphid) (*Aphis nerii*) — Aphids feed on the plant's sap. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch wild plants, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify butterfly milkweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is butterfly milkweed? 30-90 cm ### How wide does butterfly milkweed spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on butterfly milkweed? 0.5-0.7 cm ### When does butterfly milkweed bloom? Summer ### Is butterfly milkweed edible? No ### Is butterfly milkweed toxic? Moderate ### What is butterfly milkweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alfred-b-maclay-gardens-state-park) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Anderson Japanese Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-japanese-gardens) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Batesville East Main Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/batesville-east-main-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/battle-creek-cypress-swamp-sanctuary) — Maryland, US · Nature Reserve - [Brandon Road Lock and Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brandon-road-lock-and-dam) — Illinois, US · Historic Site [View all places to see butterfly milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/butterfly-milkweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Butterfly Milkweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/butterfly-milkweed)