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Asclepias tuberosa |
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Butterfly Weed, Pleurisy
Root, Indian Paintbrush, Chigger Flower |
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 4-9 |
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Eastern
and Central North America to
Mexico |
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Tuberous rooted perennial of sandy
soils and open woodlots |
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18-36 inches tall and 24 inches wide |
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Flowers about ¼
inch wide, in short-peduncled,
many flowered umbels flowers are orange. |
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Late spring to
midsummer |
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Alternate, lanceolate or oblong, 2-6 inches
long and ¾ inch-1 inch wide, acute or obtuse, sessile or
very short-petioled. Leaves are hairy. |
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- 'Gay Butterflies'- red and yellow
flowers, however, most
of the flowers are orange.
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Butterfly weed is
slow to emerge in the spring. Asclepias is derived from the name of the Greek
god of healing, Asklepios. |
