Butterfly weed is a must-have for any gardener with an eye to lure beautiful bees and butterflies into their garden. It can grow up 1 ft (or more) tall, characterized by glossy green leaves that are rich in nectar and pollen; it also has bright orange-to yellow blooms!
Butterfly weed, with its long medicinal history and use by Native Americans to treat coughs, pulmonary issues like pleurisy has made it an attractive plant for cultivation. The roots can be brewed into tea which is used as remedy against diarrhea or stomach pains!
The Butterfly Weed is a typically slow growing plant, but it can really take off when it’s in motion. This magical flower will be at peak height and bloom by early to mid summer!
Butterfly Weed Care
The beauty of butterfly weed is a symbol for its versatility. From the wildflower to an ornamental plant, this versatile herb can be found thriving in many different environments around our planet!
Butterfly weed is a versatile plant that can grow in just about any type of soil, but it needs moisture. This makes butterfly weed perfect for lawns and gardens alike!
The plant is a little wildflower with masses of seeds that will spread throughout your garden to appear as new growth in spring.
The butterfly weed is a plant with long, elegant leaves that blooms gradually. The flowers can take up to three years for full maturity and production; however, they grow thicker in each season as it passes by.
Additionally, this herb isn’t susceptible to any major pests or diseases which makes care easy!
Light
Butterfly weed is an herb that’s great for attracting butterflies. It needs bright sunlight, so you’ll need to find a spot with full sun or at least nearby shade if it gets too hot in your garden!
Soil
Butterfly weed can tolerate a variety of soil conditions and types, from clay-based to gravel. It prefers neutral to slightly acidic pH levels in the mix because this is where it does best!
Water
Maintaining the right conditions for butterflies to thrive is important, but it’s also easy! Just make sure you water your butterfly weed regularly during its first year of life (or until mature growth begins). And once plants appear well-established cut back watering frequency so they can enjoy dry soil more than occasionally.
Temperature and Humidity
The beautiful butterfly weed is a plant that can be found growing in zones 3 through 9. It’s adaptable and thrives well at different temperatures, humidity levels, etc., but it peaks during warmer summer months when flowers are blooming on one stalk while leaves dry up another.
This makes for an interesting pattern as both parts of the stem go through their yearly cycle: drying out (autumn) followed by renewal(spring).
Fertilizer
Butterfly weed is a low-maintenance plant, requiring little to no additional fertilization.
Pruning Butterfly Weed
Though butterfly weed doesn’t need much pruning throughout the year, it can be cut back before winter season. In late autumn you’ll notice yellow leaves and stems drying out as browning occurs Leading up to a dormant period for this plant in preparation for its long restful slumber through cold months ahead.
At this point, it means the plant is going dormant, so it is best to do some pruning. Taking a clean set of pruning shears, cut the plant to just below where new growth will resume in spring.
How to Grow Butterfly Weed From Seed
Butterfly weed is a good plant to grow if you want butterflies and bees. The easiest way of course, would be by planting seeds in fall for next year’s growth or let established weeds to do their work for you!
The plants should start to develop seed pods in place of their blooms by late summer or early fall. If left on the stem, these can eventually burst and spread seeds throughout your garden so they establish themselves for next year!
If you’d rather have more control over the eventual location of any new butterfly weed plants, remove seed pods from plant before they burst open and simply place seeds by hand instead.
How to Get Butterfly Weed to Bloom
In general, butterfly weed will blossom on its own once it has reached maturity (which can take up to three years). If you’re struggling with getting your plant of this type flowering well then there could be a few reasons why.
It’s important to get the watering cadence right for your plant. Water regularly until new growth starts appearing (including leaves and stems), then decrease frequency of watering as needed!
Butterfly weed plants should not be fertilized. Yes, fertilizer can work to make other plants bloom better, however, it can actually harm butterfly weed and discourage blooming!