Asclepias tuberosa L.

Butterfly Milkweed; Common Butterfly Weed; Pleurisy Root

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Butterfly Weed is a native herbaceous perennial in the Dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Butterfly Weed grows in mesic to dry pine forests, mixed pine/hardwood forests, in prairies, on rock outcrops, in sandhills, and on roadside banks. It is a perennial with an elongated tap root that may extend several feet into the soil. There are 1-several erect stems from each rootstock. The stems are 1-2 ½ feet tall. The stems are green in color, round in cross section, and pubescent. The stems are unbranched below the inflorescence. Leaves are alternate, linear to hastate in outline, and pubescent (especially below). The margins are or sometimes crispate-revolute. Flowers are produced in umbels of 8-25 flowers each arranged in helicoid cymes. The flower consists of 5 light green sepals that are largely hidden when the flower is open. There are 5 reflexed petals that are orange to yellow in color. There are 5 orange or yellow hoods, each with a single horn. The hoods form an extra floral whorl known as the corona (crown). The flowers lack a fragrance. The fruit is a horn-shaped follicle (a dry fruit that splits along one side). The seed are flat, oval in shape, brown in color, and have a tuff of long white hairs that aid in wind dispersal. Unlike most Milkweeds, Butterfly Weed lacks the white milky latex sap. Butterfly Weed is a popular wildflower, and seed or seedlings are often available from nurseries. It prefers a dry soil and full sun. Because of its long taproot, plants are very difficult to transplant. They should never be dug from the wild. Butterfly Weed flowers are visited by many species of bees and wasps, butterflies, and hummingbirds.--A. Diamond

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Native

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