Milkweed for Butterflies
I would like to create a garden that attracts butterflies. I wanted to use milkweed, but I read that it is very invasive and hard to control. Can you recommend one that is not invasive?
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) hardy in zones 3 to 9 is a milkweed that is great for attracting monarch butterflies. The plant is about 1 ½ to 2 feet tall with orange flowers. There are yellow and red flowered varieties as well. This milkweed is not invasive, in fact it can be a little slow to establish. I find the seedlings that plant themselves do the best. They seem to find the perfect spot to grow and thrive. So I let them wander through my gardens. The swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) has recently gained popularity. I see it used in both perennial and rain gardens. This beautiful milkweed is hardy in zones 3 to 6 and grows 3 to 5 feet tall. It prefers full sun and moist soil. It is tolerant of flooding and drought making a good plant for raingardens. The white, pink or mauve blooms appear July through August. Swamp milkweed is a low maintenance perennial that does not seem to reseed as readily as its relatives.
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