Types of Butterfly Weed

There are several named cultivars of this plant. Most varieties, as well as the native species, are orange. But some popular varieties offer color variations:

• Hello Yellow is a variety with bright yellow flowers.
• Gay Butterflies has decidedly reddish flowers.
• Western Gold Mix has golden-orange flowers and is bred primarily for the alkaline soils of the western United States.

Choose a spot in your garden that boasts bright sunlight daily, as this plant loves to soak up the rays. Full sun is your best bet.

During its first year of life (or until new plants start showing mature growth), you should maintain a moist soil environment for butterfly weed, giving it about one inch of water per week through combined rainfall and irrigation. Once the plant appears well-established, you can cut back to watering it only occasionally, as it prefers dry soil. An extensive, deep taproot helps it thrive even in dry conditions. Mature plants can do well with just monthly watering in all but the driest climates.

Butterfly weed can prosper in various soil conditions and compositions, from sand to gravel, and it generally prefers a neutral to slightly acidic pH.

Butterfly weed is a low-maintenance plant that does not require any additional fertilization. Doing so can harm the plant, making it excessively leggy and reducing blooms. Additionally, butterfly weed plants should not be fertilized. While fertilizer may work to make other plants bloom, it can harm butterfly weed and discourage blooming. If the plant is not receiving adequate sunlight, it may not bloom; consider moving it to a new location.

Overwintering butterfly weed is a simple matter of cutting off the plant stem near ground level as soon as the plant succumbs to cold temperatures in the fall or early winter. There is no harm in leaving the plant stalks in place, though this encourages rampant self-seeding, which is usually not desired. Don’t mulch over the root crowns, as this can promote rot.

Excellent companion plants for butterfly weeds include other plants that have similar care needs and will attract butterflies, such as perennials like liatris, allium, monarda, lavender, catmint, and rudbeckia. Some annual plant combinations include lantana, zinnia, salvia, cosmos, fennel, dill, and sunflowers.

At Lincoln Landscaping cultivating the environment is our life and livelihood. It is our number one goal to help our clients create and maintain beautiful landscapes while reducing the impact on the environment. Whether you are interested in a pollinator landscape garden design and build or other landscaping or property management project; we can create for you an environmentally friendly, organic and beautiful property.