Asclepias 'Gay Butterflies'

Asclepias 'Gay Butterflies': A Grab Bag of Warm Colours

Flat clusters in orange, yellow, gold and red-orange, with each plant picking its own colour, so a group looks like a sunset that couldn't decide. This butterfly weed is a monarch magnet. THE MONARCHS ALREADY BOOKED THEIR ROOMS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies'
• Common Name: Butterfly Weed
• Height: 65–75 cm (26–30 in)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Flat-topped clusters in a mix of orange, yellow, gold and red-orange. Each plant carries one colour, so a group gives you a blend.
• Bloom Time: Mid to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Narrow, lance-shaped, mid-green leaves on an upright clump
• Features: Monarch host plant, decorative seed pods

Where to Plant: Plant it in a hot, dry border, on a sandy slope, or in a gravel or rock garden. Planting several together shows off the colour mix best. The flowers cut well, and the green pods dry nicely for arrangements.

Companion Plants: Give these mixed orange, red and yellow milkweeds a dry, sunny bed with purple partners. Phlox 'Amazing Grace' carpets the front at 10 to 15 cm with white, red-eyed flowers in May and June. Allium senescens adds lavender-pink globes at 25 cm from July to September. Salvia 'Caradonna' brings violet spikes on dark stems at 45 to 60 cm from June to August. Andropogon 'Blackhawks' stands behind at 150 cm, its blades darkening to purple-black.

Plant Care: Give it full sun and well-drained soil. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal; heavy, wet clay is the one thing it won't forgive. Water through the first season, then only during long droughts. Butterfly weed is one of the last perennials to wake up in spring, often not until late May or June. Mark its spot, or plant spring bulbs nearby as a reminder, so you don't dig it up by mistake. It grows a long, deep taproot, so plant it where it can stay. It does not like being moved or divided. Cut stems back in late fall, or leave them for winter interest and cut in spring.

History: Asclepias tuberosa is native to dry, open prairies, fields and sandy sites across much of eastern and central North America, reaching north into southern Ontario. 'Gay Butterflies' is a mixed-colour seed strain sold by seed houses such as Jelitto, and its original breeder is not documented.

Final Thoughts: Plant a cluster in your hottest, driest spot and let the seed pods add a second show. Deer pass. A WHOLE SUNSET IN ONE BED.