Is Butterfly Weed deer resistant?
Asclepias tuberosa
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 3–9LightFull sunMature height12–24 inBloomSpring and Summer
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range42 US states
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Butterfly Weed
Orange milkweed and a monarch host plant. It emerges very late in spring, so mark the position or you will dig into it. The deep taproot makes it drought-proof and immovable.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Butterfly Weed
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- African LilyAgapanthus sp.Zones 8–11, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AsparagusAsparagus officinalisZones 2–9Seldom damaged
- AsterAster sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AstilbeAstilbe x arendsiiZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Baby's BreathGypsophila sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- BastardsageEriogonum wrightiiZones 5–10Seldom damaged
Where Butterfly Weed grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Coloradonative
- Californianative
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakota
- South Dakotanative
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utahnative
- Nevada
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 42 US states in total.
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Every list Butterfly Weed belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Butterfly Weed
- Is Butterfly Weed deer resistant?
- Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Butterfly Weed grow in?
- Butterfly Weed is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Butterfly Weed grow in shade?
- No. Butterfly Weed wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Butterfly Weed get?
- Mature height is roughly 12–24 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is Butterfly Weed toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Butterfly Weed as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.