Asclepias tuberosa
Butterfly weed
During late Spring and early Summer, butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a common splash of color on Piedmont roadsides and old fields. This milkweed typically only grows to a couple of feet high, unlike another Piedmont resident common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), which reach 4-5 feet tall in unmown rights-of-way. Milkweed leaves are an important food source for caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). The sweet nectar of Milkweeds attracts many pollinators including bees, wasps, flies, beetles, ants, and more. Take a moment to closely examine milkweed flowers: they’re beautiful!