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Orange Milkweed in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Asclepias tuberosa

 

Orange Milkweed

Milkweed is so named after the milky sap that exudes from broken or cut stems, and which is a skin irritant, and toxic. It has simple leaves, and bears complex globe-shaped, fragrant flowers in Summer. Both the leaves and flowers are important as the food source for Monarch butterflies, and are also attractive to bees and other butterflies. 'Orange Milkweed' bears glowing orange flowers that are irresistible to hummingbirds, butterflies and people! This long-lived, tap-rooted plant needs a couple of growing seasons to establish its deep roots and reach mature size. Hardier than most other Asclepias species.

Contributed by @mollymulch

 
plant Features
  • Orange Milkweed likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Orange Milkweed likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Orange Milkweed is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Orange Milkweed likes light and free draining

    Light and free draining

 
plant information

Common name

Orange Milkweed

Latin name

Asclepias tuberosa

type

Perennial

family

Apocynaceae

ph

4.8 - 6.5 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Orange Milkweed likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Frost

    Orange Milkweed is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Soil

    Orange Milkweed likes light and free draining

    Light and free draining

  • Water

    Orange Milkweed likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Orange Milkweed is 1.00meters x 1.00meters 1.00 M 1.00 M

Asclepias tuberosa

Milkweed is so named after the milky sap that exudes from broken or cut stems, and which is a skin irritant, and toxic. It has simple leaves, and bears complex globe-shaped, fragrant flowers in Summer. Both the leaves and flowers are important as the food source for Monarch butterflies, and are also attractive to bees and other butterflies. 'Orange Milkweed' bears glowing orange flowers that are irresistible to hummingbirds, butterflies and people! This long-lived, tap-rooted plant needs a couple of growing seasons to establish its deep roots and reach mature size. Hardier than most other Asclepias species.


Planting

From Early Spring TO Mid Spring

These plants have a long tap-root, and because if this they don't transplant easily. The best chance of a survival rate when transplanting is to do it in Spring. Generally speaking, though, it is better to sow in situ, to avoid the need to transplant. Sow in a sunny sheltered site.

 

Propagating by seed

From Early Spring TO Mid Spring

Sow in Spring in situ - in a sunny, sheltered site. The seeds can be sown in Autumn, but need a chilling period first (three weeks or so in the fridge would suffice)

 

Flowering

From Early Summer TO Late Summer

Milkweed - both the leaves and flowers -is the food source for monarch butterflies, and as such is an important plant for anyone interested in supporting the monarch butterfly population. The flowers appear in Summer

 
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