General Description/History

This North American native is a favourite food source for butterflies. It produces rounded clusters of small orange or red flowers, made up of two whorls of petals, at the tips of each branch. The inner 5 petals form a cup-shape and are yellow-orange with red centres, while the outer 5 petals are yellow-orange and reflex back as the flower opens. Buds are yellow with red stripes. Leaves are olive green in colour and lance shaped, a little like small lily leaves.

Cut stems seep a poisonous, milky white latex, hence the name.

Asclepias is grown as a field crop or in polyhouses. Most are grown in Victoria and NSW.

What to look for

• Buy when 1/2 to 2/3 of the flowers are open, as buds do not open in the vase;
• Avoid bunches with yellow leaves, or that drop flowers when the bunch is shaken.

Flower Care

1. Wear gloves when handling.
2. Keep cool at all times.
3. Strip leaves from the lower half of each stem.
4. Recut at least 2 cm off each branch and place in water immediately.
5. Always use a preservative as this will help buds open.
6. Replace vase water with fresh preservative every day.
7. These flowers are very sensitive to ethylene. Keep them away from fruit, car exhausts and cigarette smoke.

Interesting Facts about this Flower

The name comes from the Greek ‘Asclepius’, the god of healing, because of the many uses in folk and herbal medicine.

The seed pods of milkweed contain soft filaments known as silk or floss.

Milkweed silk is coated with wax and makes excellent insulation material. In fact, tests have shown them to be superior to feather down. During World War II milkweed was used in the US as a substitute for kapok.

Milkweed nectar is very high in sugar, and was used as a sweetener by native Americans.

Botanical Name: Asclepias tuberosa

Common Names: Butterfly Weed, Milkweed, Pleurisy Root, Silkweed

Stem Length: 20

Country of Origin: North America

Available Colours: Orange, Red, Yellow

Season: Summer,Spring

Availability: January,February,November,Decemeber