A Native Milkweed in a Mix of Fiery Colors

Gay Butterflies Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies') is a colorful seed strain of our native butterfly weed, producing flat-topped clusters in a lively blend of orange, red, and golden-yellow across a planting. As a true milkweed it's both a monarch caterpillar host and a nectar magnet for butterflies and bees, and its deep taproot makes it tough as nails through heat and drought. A pollinator cornerstone for sunny, well-drained beds in Eden Prairie, Plymouth, and Eagan.

Landscape Uses

Use Gay Butterflies in pollinator and native gardens, prairie plantings, sunny borders, and rock gardens. The color mix is striking massed, and it's a cornerstone of any monarch waystation alongside coneflowers and prairie grasses.

Best Time to Plant

Plant in spring or early summer so the taproot can establish. Butterfly weed emerges late in spring, so be patient and mark its spot.

How to Plant

Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Set the crown level with the soil, backfill, and water in. Avoid heavy amendments; it prefers lean, well-drained soil. Do not move it once established.

Watering

First Year: Water deeply once a week to establish the taproot.
After Year One: Little to no supplemental water needed. It's highly drought tolerant and dislikes soggy soil.
Drip Irrigation: Generally unnecessary once established; avoid overwatering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a monarch host plant?
Yes. As a true milkweed it feeds monarch caterpillars and provides nectar for adult butterflies and bees.

Will all the plants be the same color?
No, this is a seed strain, so colors vary from orange to red to yellow across plants.

Is it hardy in Minnesota?
Yes, it's a Zone 3 native, fully hardy statewide.

Is it deer resistant?
Yes, deer avoid milkweeds.

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Pair Gay Butterflies with yellow and orange butterfly weed, coneflowers, and prairie grasses for a monarch-friendly native planting.