Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa Linnaeus subsp. tuberosaSynonyms: Butterfly Milkweed,  Butterflyweed.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Gentianales   >   Family Apocynaceae   >   Genus Asclepias   

Status:

Butterfly Weed is an unmistakable, locally common milkweed that can be found growing across most of Maryland. Butterfly Weed prefers open dry field habitats but can also be found growing along wooded edges. Bloom times for Butterfly Weed in the Maryland Biodiversity Project database range from 6/10 through 9/13.

Description:

Butterfly Weed is easily identified by the bright coloration of the flowers. Most plants are a deep orange but bright yellow flowers can also be encountered. Butterfly Weed lacks the milky sap that is typically found in other milkweed species. The sap of Butterfly Weed is clear.

Relationships:

Monarch caterpillars often use Butterfly Weed as a host plant.

Butterfly Weed is a favored plant for many native pollinators. Numerous species of bees, wasps, and butterflies can be found nectering on the flowers of Butterfly Weed.

There are 124 records in the project database.

View species at Maryland Plant Atlas

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Butterfly Weed in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/8/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/29/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in flower in Caroline Co., Maryland (6/30/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/10/2014). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/8/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed blooming in Washington Co., Maryland (6/19/2014). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/26/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed blooming in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/30/2015). Photo by David Illig. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in seed in Allegany Co., Maryland (8/26/2017). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed with seed pod in Washington Co., Maryland (9/15/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed blooming in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/20/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in Howard Co., Maryland (7/19/2017). Collected and processed by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Butterfly Weed in bloom in Howard Co., Maryland (6/20/2017). Collected and processed by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)


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