Butterfly weed - what is it?
Answer
The botanical name of butterfly weed is Asclepias tuberosa. It is an herbaceous perennial, native to Eastern and Southern U.S. Flowers are a nectar source for many butterflies and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae (caterpillars). It is 1 1/2'-2' tall, prefers sun and has clusters of bright orange flowers. There are also yellow cultivars. It has pods in the fall which spread seeds around but not aggressively. There are related species with different colors which also attract butterflies.