butterfly weed

(Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior)

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

 
butterfly weed
 
Description

Butterfly weed is a 12 to 36 tall, weakly erect, perennial herb. A single stem rises from a large, deep, thick, knobby, woody taproot. As the plant matures, it sends up multiple lateral stems from the taproot (tillers). Mature plants, with many flowering branches and multiple lateral tillers, appear bushy, round in form. The leaves and stems contain a watery, not milky, juice.

The stems are erect or ascending, stout, leafy, and densely covered with long, soft hairs. They are unbranched below and often form multiple branches near the top.

The leaves are alternate except just below the inflorescence, where they are opposite. They are numerous and crowded. They are 2 to 4 long, ¼ to 1 wide, narrowly lance-shaped, widest below the middle, and tapering gradually to the tip. They are attached to the stem on short, less that long, leaf stalks. The margins are untoothed and may be slightly rolled under. The upper surface is shiny and slightly hairy. The lower surface is more hairy and a lighter shade of green.

The inflorescence is 1 to several erect, umbrella-shaped clusters (umbels) at the end of the stem and rising from the upper leaf axils. The clusters are spherical, 2 to 4 in diameter, and are on a short stalk or no stalk at all. They typically have 6 to 25 flowers.

The structure of the typical milkweed flower is unique and instantly recognizable. There are 5 petals bent backward at the base and hanging downward. Subtending the petals are 5 much shorter, light green, lance-shaped sepals. There are 5 stamens. Formed from the filament of each stamen is a petal-like appendage. The appendage consists of a tubular hood surrounding an awl-shaped horn in the center of the hood. The stamens and the stigma are fused together into a crown-like structure (gynostegium). Each stigma has a long slit designed to catch the legs of a pollinating insect. A small, dark, sticky gland above this slit is attached to pollen sacs from adjacent anthers. These glands are designed to break off as an insect pulls its leg free of the slit, and remain attached to the insects leg. The flowers are pollinated by larger insects strong enough to lift off with the pollen sacs attached. Smaller insects are caught in a death trap or leave behind their detached legs.

The flowers of this plant are shaped like the typical milkweed flower. They are to tall and are attached on flower stalks that are up to ¾ long. The petals are pale orange to dark reddish orange. They bend backward at the base, hang downward, then curl upward near the tip. They are separated from the hoods by a distinct column. The hoods are the same color as the petals. The horns are shorter than the hoods. They project from the hoods and are curved inwards. The flowers are long-lasting and not fragrant.

The fruit is a narrow, spindle-shaped pod. It is 3 to 5 long and ½ to ¾ wide. It is held erect on a downward-curved stalk. It opens on one side exposing the seeds to spreading by the wind. The seeds have a tuft of white hairs at the tip.

 

Height

12 to 36

 

Flower Color

Pale orange to dark reddish orange

 

Similar Species

This is the only milkweed in Minnesota with orange flowers.

Habitat

Dry to moderate moisture. Prairies, upland woods. Full sun.

Ecology

Flowering

July to September

 

Faunal Associations

Milkweeds are the only plants that Monarchs lay their eggs on. The eggs are laid on the underside of healthy young leaves.

 

Toxicity

This and other milkweeds contain cardiac glycosides and may be poisonous to both humans and livestock.

 

Pests and Diseases

 

Use

 

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.

     
     

Nativity

Native

     

Occurrence

 

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae (green algae and land plants)

Subkingdom

Viridiplantae (green plants)

Infrakingdom

Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)

Superdivision

Embryophyta (land plants)

Division

Tracheophyta (vascular plants)

Subdivision

Spermatophytina (seed plants) / Angiospermae (flowering plants)

Class

Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)

Superorder

Asteranae

Order

Gentianales (gentians, dogbanes, madders, and allies)

Family

Apocynaceae (dogbane)

Subfamily

Asclepiadoideae (milkweeds)

Tribe

Asclepiadeae

Subtribe

Asclepiadinae

Genus

Asclepias (milkweeds)

Species

Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Asclepias tuberosa f. bicolor

Asclepias tuberosa f. flavescens

Asclepias tuberosa f. lutea

Asclepias tuberosa ssp. terminalis

Asclepias tuberosa var. flexuosa

Asclepias tuberosa var. interior

   

Common Names

butterfly milkweed

butterfly weed

butterfly-weed

Canada root

chiegerflower

chigger weed

midwestern butterfly-weed

orange milkweed

pleurisy root

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Axil

The upper angle where the leaf stalk meets the stem.

 

Gynostegium

A crown-like structure of plants of the genus Asclepias formed by the fusion of the anthers with the stigmas.

 

Linear

Long, straight, and narrow, with more or less parallel sides, like a blade of grass.

 

Tiller

In forbs, an aerial, more or less erect shoot arising from the base of a plant.

 

Umbel

A flat-topped or convex, umbrella-shaped cluster of flowers or buds arising from more or less a single point.

Visitor Photos
 

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Nancy Falkum

butterfly weed    
     

Butterfly weed Asclapias tuberosa At TNC KWD Cox Unit

butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Alfredo Colon

butterfly weed

Gerry Garcia

butterfly weed

Asclepias tuberosa

On the same hike around Normandale Lake this morning, this pretty, coral-colored Butterfly-weed was definitely open for business, but we saw no Monarchs or any other customers.

Wayne Rasmussen

lemon cuckoo bumble bee

Male lemon cuckoo bumble bee on butterfly milkweed

MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
butterfly weed    

Late spring

 

 

     
butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Late spring

 

Late spring

     
butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Flowering plant

 

Flowering plant

     
butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Fruiting plant

 

Fruiting plant

     
butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Inflorescence

 

Inflorescence

     
butterfly weed

 

 

 

  butterfly weed
 

Inflorescence

 

 

 

 

Inflorescence

   
     
butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Leaves

 

Stem

     
butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Infructescence

 

Infructescence

     
butterfly weed   butterfly weed

Fruit

 

Fruit

     
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Seed

 

 

 

Camera

Slideshows

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed)
Allen Chartier

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed)

Asclepias tuberosa BUTTERFLY MILKWEED
Frank Mayfield

Asclepias tuberosa BUTTERFLY MILKWEED

A. tuberosa
Joshua Mayer

A. tuberosa
About

Butterfly Milkweed

 

slideshow

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Other Videos

Butterfly Weed - a world of butterflies
CTnaturalist

About

Uploaded on Oct 3, 2011

Butterfly weed attracts many species of butterfly to its orange flowers. Caterpillars are also found on the plant

Asclepias tuberosa L. Butterfly Milkweed
John Ross

About

Uploaded on Jun 6, 2010

Asclepias tuberosa is a species of milkweed native to eastern North America. It is a perennial plant growing to 0.6-2 m (1 -2 feet) tall, with clustered orange or yellow flowers from early summer to early fall. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate, 5-12 cm long and 2-3 cm broad.

This plant favors dry, sand or gravel soil, but has also been reported on stream margins. It requires full sun.

It is commonly known as Butterfly Weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of nectar. It is also the larval food plant of the Queen and Monarch butterflies. Butterfly Weed grows to be 1-3 feet long.

Extracts in herbalism and by Native Americans were used as an expectorant for wet coughs and other pulmonary ailments. Use of the herb is contraindicated in pregnancy, during lactation or with infants due to the small amount of cardiac glycosides.[1]

Butterfly Weed video ( Asclepias tuberosa)
wvoutdoorman

About

Published on Jun 26, 2012

Butterfly Weed ( Asclepias tuberosa)

Nelson 2 Asclepias tuberosa.MP4
newenglandwild

About

Uploaded on Nov 2, 2010

New England Wild Flower Society Horticulture Intern Nelson discusses Asclepias tuberosa (buttterfly-weed) in Garden in the Woods' New England Garden of Rare and Endangered Plants

Minnesota Native Plant - Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Tuberosa)
MNNativePlants

About

Published on Jul 7, 2013

This video shows the MN native plant, Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Tuberosa). A great plant for the native garden and one of the only true orange bloomers in the Minnesota native garden.

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

Report a sighting of this plant.

 

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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
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Nancy Falkum
8/20/2024

Location: Oronoco Prairie SNA

butterfly weed
Nancy Falkum
6/26/2022

Location: Weaver Dunes Preserve, Cox Unit

Butterfly weed Asclapias tuberosa At TNC KWD Cox Unit

butterfly weed
Alfredo Colon
8/2/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

butterfly weed
Gerry Garcia
7/9/2019

Location: Normandale Lake

On the same hike around Normandale Lake this morning, this pretty, coral-colored Butterfly-weed was definitely open for business, but we saw no Monarchs or any other customers.

butterfly weed
Wayne Rasmussen
7/17/2016

Location: Joy Park

butterfly weed
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

 

 

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Created: 10/7/2005

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