Asclepias tuberosa Hellow Yellow - Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow', also known as Butterfly Weed and Tuberous Milkweed, is a beautiful perennial plant that is perfectly hardy and sought after for its exotic-looking flowers and easy cultivation. In summer, it produces numerous umbels of bright yellow to golden-yellow star-shaped flowers, above an upright clump of stems with long elliptical leaves of medium green colour and a bluish reverse. In late winter, the ripened fruits resemble pretty balls of cotton. The plant requires full sun and well-drained soil to flower well.

Asclepias tuberosa is a widespread perennial plant in the dry meadows of the southeastern United States. It grows from a fleshy root that acts as a reserve organ, allowing the plant to survive winter and periods of summer drought. The 'Hello Yellow' selection, from which it originates, has a golden flowering colour, devoid of orange or vermilion. The mature plant forms an upright clump that is 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24 in) tall and 40 cm (16 in) wide. Its star-shaped light yellow and bright yellow flowers are arranged in umbels and appear from early summer, giving way to fruits that ripen in late winter. They open up and release seeds with numerous shiny silver bristles that are highly decorative. The large elliptical greenish-blue leaves are evergreen in their native habitat but may disappear in harsh winters. They are spirally arranged along the hairy stems.

This milkweed is indifferent to soil type but prefers well-drained, humus-rich soil and a very sunny location. It will find its place in a rockery or in a border where the soil is dry alongside rockery plants, dwarf Phlox (Phlox subulata), aubrietas, silver basket, or Iris. The fresh flowers, as well as the dry fruits, are very beautiful in floral arrangements.

With its nectar-rich flowers, Tuberous Milkweed attracts numerous insects, especially butterflies, which gives it its nickname of "Butterfly Weed".