Butterfly weed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Butterfly weed |
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Asclepiadoideae
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A. tuberosa
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| Asclepias tuberosa |
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The Butterfly Weed (also known as Asclepias tuberosa) is a beautiful plant that belongs to the milkweed family. It's called "butterfly weed" because many butterflies, especially Monarchs, love its bright flowers! This plant is originally from North America.
You can find Butterfly Weed growing in prairies, meadows, and open fields. It likes sunny spots and soil that drains water well. This plant usually grows to be about 0.3 to 0.9 meters tall (1 to 3 feet). Its flowers are often orange, but they can also be red-orange or yellow. They usually bloom from June to September.
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What is Butterfly Weed?
Butterfly Weed is a special type of milkweed plant. It is part of a group of plants called Asclepias. These plants are very important for insects, especially butterflies.
Why is it called Butterfly Weed?
The name "Butterfly Weed" comes from how much butterflies love this plant. Its bright, colorful flowers attract many different kinds of butterflies. They come to drink the sweet nectar from the flowers. This helps the plant make seeds.
Where does Butterfly Weed grow?
This plant is native to many parts of North America. You can find it growing wild in places like:
- Open fields
- Sunny meadows
- Prairies
- Along roadsides
It prefers places where the sun shines a lot and the soil isn't too wet.
What does Butterfly Weed look like?
Butterfly Weed plants grow to be about 1 to 3 feet tall. They have strong stems and long, narrow leaves. The most striking part is their flowers. They grow in clusters and are usually a bright orange color. Sometimes, you might see yellow or red-orange flowers too.
The flowers are very unique. They have five petals that bend backwards. This makes them look like little crowns. After the flowers fade, the plant produces seed pods. These pods are filled with flat, brown seeds that have silky white hairs. The hairs help the seeds float away in the wind.
Other Names for Butterfly Weed
This plant has many different common names. People in different places or times have called it by various names. Here are some of them:
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Images for kids
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Entire plant from the ground to the flower
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Young stems during spring
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A young leaf
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An emerging flower head
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Closeup of the hairy stems
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Closeup of unopened buds
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Flower head
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Closeup showing unopened, opening, and fully opened flower buds
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Orange flowers
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Red-striped orange flowers
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Yellow flowers
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Seedpod
See also
In Spanish: Asclepias tuberosa para niños
