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'Gay Butterflies' Milkweed Mix

Perennial

1 total reviews

DISCONTINUED
  • We no longer offer this product. Create a similar look with our other Milkweed!
  • Vibrant orange, yellow, and red flowers.
  • Support Monarch butterflies.
  • Low maintenance native perennial.
  • Zones 4-9, sun, 3′ tall x 3′ wide at maturity.
  • ZONE
  • EXPOSURE
  • HEIGHT
Size: One Quart
Regular price $16.99
Sale price Sale: $16.99 Regular price Each
Total: $16.99
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Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee

Description

Pollinators will be delighted to find 'Gay Butterflies' Milkweed Mix (Asclepias tuberosa) in your garden. Vibrant flowers with red, orange, and yellow hues boast a sweet fragrance and rich nectar, making them a pollinator magnet. Your garden will be buzzing, especially with Monarch butterflies. In the fall, flowers give way to seed pods filled with silky, wind-dispersed seeds. This native perennial is easy to grow, deer resistant, and drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for any gardener. Maintenance is a breeze, and it is generally disease-free. Milkweed is ideal for meadow gardens, native plantings, and wildlife sanctuaries. Plant it in a sunny spot to support your local pollinators!

Details

Botanical name: Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies'
Common name: Butterfly weed
Zone: 4 - 9
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun)
Height x width: 2-3' tall x 1-3' wide
Flower color: Orange, red, and yellow
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Summer
Uses: Accent, Border, Cottage gardening, Erosion control or embankment, Ground cover, Massing, Naturalizing, Slopes, Specimen

How to Grow

Soil: Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-draining soils.
Light: Sun (> 6 hours sun)
Water: Dry to medium moisture
Spacing: 1-1.5 ft. apart
Fertilizing: It doesn't need consistent fertilizing. You can do a very light application the first summer after planting.
Winterizing: No specific care is needed.
Propagation & pruning: Plants will self sow. Seeds can be gathered and started, though a started plant will take a few years to flower. Because of a very deep taproot, moving or dividing is not recommended. No pruning is needed.
Pollinator landing on milkweed flower

8 Native Milkweeds for Monarch Butterflies

Milkweed plays a vital role in the Monarch butterfly lifecycle, serving as a host plant for monarch caterpillars. Without milkweed, we wouldn't have Monarchs.

Discover more

Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:

bush distance

Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:

bush distance zigzag

Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.

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