Plant Library

Other Names:  Blood-flower, Indian Root, Butterfly Weed

Description:

Fabulous plant for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds; unusual and showy golden-yellow flowers are held up against yellow-green foliage; adapts well to most soil types; readily re-seeds; perfect for naturalized areas or borders; roots are hardier

Ornamental Features

Silky Gold Tropical Milkweed features unusual orange flat-top recurved flowers with gold overtones at the ends of the stems from mid summer to late fall, which emerge from distinctive yellow flower buds. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves emerge chartreuse in spring, turning green in color with curious grayish green undersides and tinges of chartreuse the rest of the year.

Landscape Attributes

Silky Gold Tropical Milkweed is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Silky Gold Tropical Milkweed is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Silky Gold Tropical Milkweed will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.