Butterfly Milkweed Seeds

The plant begins flowering in late spring and is found in old fields, grasslands, roadsides, and open woods. It grows well in often poor sandy, rocky, or clay soils. The very deep taproot makes this plant drought tolerant and also difficult to transplant. The long lasting bright orange flowers make this plant a favorite of gardeners. Butterfly Milkweed, as the name implies, attracts numerous butterfly and other pollinator species and is the host plant for the Monarch larva and other rare butterfly species. Pleurisy Root is another common name and refers to a folk medicine use of the plant to treat pulmonary ailments.