The Perennial Plant Association has named butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) its Perennial Plant of the Year for 2017.
The association cited the plant for its "ability to support insects and birds and serve as the primary caterpillar food for a beloved North American native butterfly."
A member of the milkweed family, this perennial is native to the continental United States (except in the Northweast), and to Quebec and Ontario in Canada.
The striking orange flowers are long-lasting as cut flowers, and in masses, make a great statement in the garden. Butterfly weed is hardy in Zones 4-9, does best in full sun, and reaches a height of two to three feet with a spread of about two feet.
The plant attracts many bees, wasps, and butterflies, and it serves as larval food for the Monarch butterfly, the Queen Butterfly, and the Milkweed Tussock Moth.
Plant several or more in your garden!
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