'Hello Yellow' Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is the perfect way to welcome pollinators to the garden. Showy clusters of bright yellow flowers are loaded with fragrance and nectar, serving as a beacon for butterflies. This long-blooming native keeps flowering all summer, providing nearly 3 months of blooms. Flowers give way to showy seed pods. The best part? Unlike other milkweeds, this variety doesn't exude a milky sap from the stems. Try using the fresh flowers and seed pots in cut arrangements!
Milkweeds, including 'Hello Yellow' Milkweed, are essential for the Monarch lifecycle. Their relationship includes more than just swapping nectar for pollination. Caterpillars exclusively feed on their leaves, which are filled with cardenolides. Cardenolides are stored in the bodies of Monarch caterpillars and butterflies as a defense against predators. Without Milkweed, we wouldn't have Monarchs!
Vital details:
Plant size: 1.5-3' tall x 1-2' wide
Light: full sun (6+ hrs/day)
Water: Average to dry
Hardiness: USDA zone 3-9 (Find your hardiness zone)
Pollinator value: attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and is the host plant for Monarchs
Notable features: fragrant, great cut flowers, long-blooming, deer resistant, multiple seasons of interest, low maintenance
Plant name: Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'