Red Butterfly Milkweed
Red Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica
Tropical Milkweed
Bloodflower
Scarlet Milkweed
Mexican Butterfly Weed
Price
Available
In stock
Ships within
-
2 business days
Arrives
Add Your Zip Code
to:
ZIP
Save More When You Buy More
Add more items to the cart and get up to20% OFF on your order with code
*Can't combine with other discounts
Questions? Contact our plant experts
Red Butterfly Milkweed | Asclepias curassavica ‘Red Butterfly’ | Tropical Milkweed ‘Red Butterfly’ | Asclepias ‘Red Butterfly’
Red Butterfly Milkweed is an upright, heat‑loving perennial (grown as an annual in cooler climates) prized for its vibrant, flat‑topped clusters of fiery scarlet‑red flowers accented with striking golden‑yellow hoods. This vigorous selection is known for its sturdy branching habit, exceptional heat tolerance, and nonstop flowering from late spring until frost. Its nectar‑rich blossoms and foliage are essential for Monarch butterflies, serving as both a powerful nectar source for adults and a vital host plant for their caterpillars. It is a standout choice for pollinator gardens, mixed borders, containers, and sunny landscape beds. With its strong vertical form and reliable performance in hot conditions, Red Butterfly offers bold, vibrant color with straightforward care.
Growing Red Butterfly Milkweed
Light: Full sun; thrives in heat and produces the most abundant blooms and sturdiest stems with strong, direct sunlight.
Soil: Rich, well‑drained soil; highly adaptable to a variety of soil types but prefers moist, sandy, or loamy soils.
Water: Moderate; water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist until established, after which it exhibits good drought tolerance.
Maintenance: Deadhead spent flowers to encourage a continuous flush of new blooms. In warm winter climates (zones 9–11), it is highly recommended to cut plants back to the ground in late fall or early winter to encourage healthy spring growth and disrupt disease cycles for Monarch populations.
Wildlife: A crucial host plant for Monarch caterpillars and highly attractive to adult butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds; deer‑resistant due to its milky sap.
Hardiness: Perennial in USDA zones 8–11; widely grown as a warm‑season summer annual in cooler regions.
Shipping Info
Red Butterfly Milkweed plants are shipped as healthy young starts in 4" nursery pots. Allow 1–2 weeks after arrival for plants to recover from shipping and resume active growth before repotting or planting outdoors.
Growing Zones
8 - 11
Low Temperature
28°F
High Temperature
100°F+
Fragrant
Non Fragrant
Polinator Required
No
Polinator Friendly
Yes
Flower Color
Red Orange Yellow Green
Growth Rate
Fast
Soil
Prefers well-draining soil but tolerates poor, sandy, or dry soils
Moisture
Moderate
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Mature Spread
18 to 24 inches
Mature Height
24 to 36 inches
Bloom Period
Early Summer to Fall (Can bloom continuously year-round in frost-free climates)
Pruning Time
Cut back stems to about 6 inches in late fall or winter (crucial in mild climates to prevent the build-up of OE parasites that harm Monarch butterflies and to encourage natural migration patterns)
Pet Safe
No
Perennial / Annual
Annual
Evergreen / Deciduous
Herbaceous
Shop Our Bestsellers
Bring life to your garden with the plants everyone’s raving about! These bestsellers are customer favorites for their beauty, resilience, and ability to thrive in a variety of spaces.
