Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
With its shades of red, orange and yellow, Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed is perfect for injecting some late summer color into the garden. With a mature height of around 30 inches tall, this perennial develops clusters of small fragrant flowers that are loved by pollinators. It is botanically known as Asclepias tuberosa Gay Butterflies.
Drought-resistant once established, Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed is low maintenance and requires little care. With a clump-forming habit, it holds its flowers aloft on strong and sturdy stems. Hardy to zones 4 to 9, this perennial is a native of North America. It is perfect for a ‘hot’ border.
Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed Care
Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed grows best when planted in full sun and on a well-drained soil. However, it can also cope with partial shade. Tolerating a range of soil conditions, it prefers a substrate with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Able to tolerate dry conditions once established, Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed requires regular irrigation for the first year to keep the soil moist. No fertilizer is needed and may even limit flowering.
Being a perennial, the Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed will die back in the fall to reappear in the spring. In early winter, once the foliage is dry and brown, you can cut it back to soil level. If desired, you can remove the seed heads to limit self-seeding
Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed Spacing
The Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed tends to grow to 24 to 30 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide. Impactful when grown in a group, you can plant ‘Gay Butterflies’ at a spacing of 18 inches apart.
Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 3 to 9 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Part Sun to Full Sun (5+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 2-3 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 1-2 Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Upright
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Orange
- Flower Description
- Orange
- Bloom Time
- Mid-Summer to Early Fall
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Dark Green
- Foliage Type
- , Herbaceous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Summer Flowering
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed
- Also Known As
- Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed
- Botanical Name
- Asclepias tuberosa Gay Butterflies
- Plant Type
- Perennial
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!