Butterfly Weed Plant
Asclepias tuberosa
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™ Protected
Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Fast, Safe Plant Delivery
Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
| Under $50 | $9.99 |
| $50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
| $100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
| $150 - $198.99 | $24.99 |
| $199+ | FREE |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Sentry™ Protected
Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Plant Profile & Growing Essentials
Low Maintenance, Native, Flowering, Deer-resistant, Heat Tolerant, Drought resistant, Attracts Butterflies, and Attracts pollinators
Specifications
Specifications
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Botanical Name
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Height
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Width
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Growing Zones
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Sunlight
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Growth RateModerate
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Flower Color
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Leaf Color
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NativeYes
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Pollinator FriendlyYes
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Bloom PeriodEarly Summer, Late Summer
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Does Not Ship ToAK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA
Planting & Care
Planting & Care
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) earns its name every summer when monarchs, swallowtails, and a parade of pollinators descend on its clusters of vivid orange flowers. This native milkweed species, sometimes called Orange Milkweed or Pleurisy Root, is one of the showiest wildflowers you can grow and one of the most important for supporting butterfly populations.
A Pollinator Powerhouse
Unlike its aggressive cousin Common Milkweed, Butterfly Weed stays in a tidy clump, reaching just 1-2 feet tall and wide. From early summer through late summer, flat-topped clusters of brilliant orange blooms create a landing pad for butterflies and serve as a critical nectar source. For monarch butterflies specifically, this plant is more than just a food source: it's a host plant where monarchs lay their eggs and caterpillars feed on the foliage as they develop.
Built for Tough Conditions
Butterfly Weed thrives where other perennials struggle. Its deep taproot, which can extend several feet into the soil, allows it to access moisture during droughts and survive in lean, rocky, or sandy soils. Once established after the first season, this plant requires virtually no maintenance. It tolerates heat, humidity, and neglect with equal grace. The trade-off for this toughness is patience: Butterfly Weed emerges late in spring, often weeks after other perennials have leafed out, and takes a full season to establish its root system before putting on its best show.
Landscape Uses
Plant Butterfly Weed in native gardens, prairie-style borders, rock gardens, or xeriscapes where its drought tolerance shines. The orange blooms combine beautifully with purple coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and ornamental grasses. Mass plantings create a dramatic ribbon of color that draws pollinators from across the neighborhood. This plant also works in meadow plantings or naturalized areas where its self-seeding habit is welcome rather than a nuisance.
Four-Season Interest
Beyond the showy summer blooms, Butterfly Weed offers ornamental seed pods in fall that split open to release silky-tufted seeds. These pods add texture to the late-season garden and provide food for goldfinches and other seed-eating birds. The foliage may develop russet tones before dying back completely in winter. Leave the stems standing through winter for structural interest and cut back in early spring before new growth emerges.
Why This Plant Belongs in Your Garden
If you care about supporting pollinators, especially threatened monarch butterflies, Butterfly Weed is essential. It provides both nectar for adult butterflies and foliage for monarch caterpillars, making it a complete life-cycle plant. The fact that it requires zero fertilizer, minimal water after establishment, and no pest management makes it one of the easiest native perennials you can grow. Deer and rabbits leave it alone, and once that taproot is down, this plant will return reliably for decades.
