Butterfly weed

25 seeds

Type: Perennial Height: 24’’ Exposure: Full sun

This plant is a friend to bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, especially monarchs that lay eggs and develop on this plant. However, deer tend to avoid it.

Note that all parts of this plant are toxic, and the milky sap can irritate the skin.

Its vibrant orange color brightens fields and gardens where it grows. This plant prefers sandy and rocky soils and is commonly found along roadsides. The silk from the pods can be spun into fabric or used as pillow stuffing, and several companies are attempting to commercialize it.

For spring planting, mix the seeds with damp soil and refrigerate them for 30 days before sowing in the garden, just below the soil surface. Young plants rarely survive transplanting, so it's best to avoid moving them. Keep the soil moist until the plant is well-established, but overly wet soil can damage the roots when the plant is mature. It may take 2 or 3 years before it produces flowers.