05/21/2026
One of the most recognized milkweeds is orange butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa). Native throughout Georgia, this bright flower can be seen on hot and dry roadsides right now, blooming away next to grasses and other perennials.
Several flowering stems per plant may all come from the same thick taproot.
Mature milkweeds can be very hard to transplant, especially this species. Most milkweeds have a milky sap, but this one has a clear sap. It is still just right for monarch butterflies and other insects that depend on it. Once flowers are pollinated, fruiting pods form with dozens of small brown seeds inside, each attached to a tiny piece of silky material that helps the seeds float to new destinations.
