butterfly weed

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butterfly weed

plant

Also known as: Asclepias tuberosa, butterfly milkweed, orange milkweed, pleurisy root

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Also called:: pleurisy root, butterfly milkweed, or orange milkweed

Related Topics:: milkweed

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butterfly weed, (Asclepias tuberosa), North American plant of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), a stout rough-haired perennial with long roots. The erect, somewhat branching stem grows up to 1 metre (3 feet) tall and has linear, alternately arranged leaves. In midsummer it bears numerous clusters of bright orange flowers that are highly attractive to butterflies.

Unlike most milkweeds, this plant has little to no milky sap. It is native to dry fields and is often planted in wild gardens or grown as a border plant.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.