- Butterfly weed
Taxobox
name = Butterfly weed
image_width = 250px
regnum =Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Gentianales
familia =Apocynaceae
subfamilia =Asclepiadoideae
genus = "Asclepias "
species = "A. tuberosa"
binomial = "Asclepias tuberosa"
binomial_authority = L.Butterfly weed ("Asclepias tuberosa", also called Canada root, Chigger flower, Chiggerflower, Fluxroot, Indian paintbrush, Indian posy, Orange milkweed, Orange Swallow-wort, Pleurisy root, Silky Swallow-wort, Tuber root, Yellow milkweed, White-root, Windroot) is a species of
milkweed native to easternNorth America . It is aperennial plant growing to 0.6-2 m (1 -2 feet) tall, with clustered orange or yellowflower s from early summer to early fall. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate, 5-12 cm long and 2-3 cm broad.This plant favors dry, sand or gravel soil, but has also been reported on stream margins.
The common name comes from the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of
nectar . Butterfly weed is also thelarva l food plant of theQueen butterfly . The butterfly weed grows to be 1-3 feet long.Identification
The plant looks similar to the
Lanceolate milkweed ("Asclepias lanceolata"), however the Butterfly weed is uniquely identified by the larger number of flowers and hairy stems that are not milky when broken. It is most commonly found in fields with dry soil.Other common names
Canada-root, Chiggerflower, Indian posy, Orange-root, Orange swallowwort, Tuberroot, Whiteroot, Windroot, Yellow or Orange milkweed.
Subspecies indicated
*"Asclepias tuberosa interior", Central United States.
*"Asclepias tuberosa rolfsii" (Rolfs Milkweed), Southeast United States.
*"Asclepias tuberosa tuberosa", Eastern United States.Gallery
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External links
* [http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/asclepiastube.html Butterfly weed brief information and pictures]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ASTU USDA information]
*
* [http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=B490 Missouri Botanical Garden] "Asclepias tuberosa" (native plant without Milky Stems)
* [http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=S470 Missouri Botanical Garden] "Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow"' (cultivar with Milky Stems)References
*cite book
last = Peterson
first = Roger Tory
coauthors = Margaret McKenny
title = A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-central North America
publisher =Houghton Mifflin Company
year =1968
location = Boston
id = ISBN 0-395-18325-1* [http://www.derbycityprints.com/Ornithology_Audubon_Birds_of_America_-_Royal_Octavo_Weeds_Bird_watching_image-6066.htm Photo of a J.J. Audubon Plate Clay-Colored Sparrow perched atop Asclepias tuberosa]
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