Butterfly weed Flower
Asclepias Tuberosa
Showy orange flowers.
Attracts butterflies and bees. Grows well in arid soils. Also known as milkweed, butterfly weed, butterfly milkweed, and butterfly-weed.
Medicinal: Roots are a respiratory expectorant and diaphoretic. They also have a medicinal history as a treatment for pleurisy, a common ailment in early colonial times, causing wheezing, coughing, and great pain due to the inflammation of the pleura round the lungs. Asclepias tuberosa reportedly was so effective in treating this ailment it earned the common name " pleurisy root."Perennial in Zones 4–9
Asclepias tuberosa makes excellent, long-lasting cut flowers.
Cut stems when more than half the flowers are open
Details:
Plant life cycle: Perennial
Site: full sun/Partial sun
Days to maturity : 365 days
Height:2-3 ' Feet
Seed depth: 1/4"
Plant spacing: 24"
Approx seeds per packet: 50
How to grow:
Days to germination:14-21 days at 65-70°F . Stratification must: Moisten,cover with plastic, and refrigerate at 40-50°F for 7-14 days. After stratification, seeds should be brought into warmer temperatures to germinate.
Sowing:Transplant (recommended) Sow 7-9 weeks before last frost. Sow 1/4" deep into a seed starting mix. Begins taproot growth upon germination. Do not allow to become pot bound at any time as plants will deteriorate rapidly. Transplant into larger cell packs or 3-4" pots 3-5 weeks after sowing. Harden off and transplant outdoors after the last frost. Direct seed - Can be direct sown in the fall or spring.
Butterfly weed is often grown from seed. Experts report 50-80 percent germination if fresh cleaned seed is used. If germination does not occur after 3 to 4 weeks, provide a 2 to 4 week cooling period
How to harvest:
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.
Vase life:
5-7 days