Butterfly WeedAsclepias tuberosa, commonly called Butterfly Weed was named the 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association. Butterfly Weed is a long lived, native perennial to the continental United States. As it name suggests, it is a butterfly magnet. In addition, many bees, wasps, ants, and beetles visit butterfly weed as well as hummingbirds. It is a member of the milkweed family and its leaves are a food source for the monarch butterfly caterpillar.
Butterfly Weed grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. It is drought tolerant due to a long tap root. Mature plants do not transplant well, so proper placement is important. Grows 2'-3' tall and wide and is hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9. It is slow to emerge in the spring and deer tend to leave it alone. Deadheading Butterfly Weed is recommended to prevent reseeding. Asclepias tuberosa makes excellent, long-lasting cut flowers. Cut stems when more than half the flowers are open; buds do not open well once the stem is cut. Searing the cut end is not necessary to prevent sap from seeping out of the stems. Instead, cut flowers have a good vase life if they are immediately placed in warm water after cutting and either placing stems in a refrigerator for 12 hours or transferring the stems to cold water. This process eliminates what little sap may be produced. (Perennial Plant Association)
1 Comment
|
Denise WoodringI'm a landscape designer who loves to garden and 'create beautiful outdoors by design' ArchivesCategories
All
|