Orange Tropical Milkweed

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

The dark red buds of the Orange Tropical Milkweed open to display tangerine orange flowers with hints of yellow. The tiny flowers grow in bunches and are surrounded by long, thin greenery that comes to a point. The fragrant flowers of the Asclepias curassavica or Mexican Butterfly Weed bloom during the summer. This large plant can reach 3 feet high and just as wide.

Milkweed plants are popular with pollinators like bees and hummingbirds, but this particular variety is a favorite of butterflies. Feature this plant in a border or mass planting and watch as butterflies swoop in to drink the sweet nectar. The blooms make lovely cut or dried flowers. This annual is native to North America, and it is deer-resistant.

Orange Tropical Milkweed Care

This plant thrives with full sunlight, but it can handle partial light. Use rich, well-draining soil, but otherwise, this plant is not picky about the quality of the soil. Milkweed is drought-tolerant, but routine water will keep it perky and healthy—water when the top several inches of soil feels dry. Milkweed is not a heavy feeder, but amend the soil with organic compost when planting to support new growth. 

Trim the stems and foliage back when the flowers are done blooming. This plant can disrupt butterfly migration patterns, particularly in areas with warm winter weather, so trimming the growth back can prevent any issues and keep butterflies on their course. The Orange Tropical Milkweed can be transplanted into a container to overwinter indoors. Place the plant in a sunny window, and it will retain its greenery throughout the winter.

Orange Tropical Milkweed Spacing

This milkweed cultivar will reach 24 to 36 inches tall and fill out to be just as wide. Space plants as close as 24 to 36 inches center to center to create a dense butterfly garden.

SKU:

ASCOR