sandy, well drained, poor, does poorly in wet soils
Flowers
usually brilliant orange, umbels with clusters of 25 or more individual 3/4 inch flowers, on stalks arising from the apex of a leaf
Fruit
seed pod is bean shaped 6 inches long by 3/4 inch
Leaves
narrow, stackless (sessile) or short petiole, usually alternate but occasionally opposite,h ispid (hairy)
Stems
a clear sap
Roots
deep tap root
Dimensions
up to three feet
Maintenance
Produces a deep tap root making transplanting difficult. Mark the plants spot. It breaks dormancy late and can be unknowingly damage early the spring
Propagation
seeds
Native Site
Native to America.
Misc Facts
Attracts butterfly's hence Butterfly weed, Pleurisy Root because it was used to treat pleurisy and other lung problems by early physicians.
Author's Notes
At my perennial nursery we would buy in Butterfly Weed roots to pot up for sale. They were long thin carrot-like and it was difficult to find tall enough pots for the plants. I always look forward to observing Butterfly Weed blooming in native sites, with the brilliant orange flowers.