Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed: Golden Nectar for Monarchs
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Hello Yellow butterfly weed is a golden yellow form of our native butterfly weed, which usually blooms orange. Its flat-topped clusters of small, star-shaped flowers cap upright stems lined with narrow green leaves, and they are rich in nectar. Monarchs, other butterflies, hummingbirds and bees all come calling. Later, slim pods split to release seeds on silky white fluff.
It is also one of the few native perennials that likes lavender's growing conditions as much as lavender does.
Hello Yellow at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow' |
| Flowers | Golden yellow clusters, 3 to 5 inches across, lightly fragrant |
| Foliage | Narrow, medium green, slightly hairy |
| Size | About 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-June, peaks mid-July, long blooming |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Excellent for pollinators; monarch host plant; deer resistant |
Built for the lavender bed
Butterfly weed and lavender agree on nearly everything: hot sun, lean soil, very little water once established and a hatred of wet winter ground. That makes Hello Yellow easy to tuck between lavender plants or in a drift along the edge of a bed. Golden yellow against purple is a bright, classic contrast, and the two bloom together through June and July, so the bed hums with butterflies and bees. Deer leave both alone. Try a pattern in the Companion Plant Planner.
A monarch plant
Like all milkweeds, Hello Yellow is a host plant for monarch butterflies. If you see striped caterpillars munching the leaves, that is the plant doing its job, so let them eat. Orange milkweed aphids are also common; they look alarming but rarely cause real harm. Skip the sprays so you do not harm the caterpillars.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun with lean to average, well-drained soil. Heavy, wet soil leads to crown rot.
- Permanent spot: the deep taproot means plants resent being moved.
- Spring patience: it is one of the last plants to emerge. Mark the spot so you do not dig into it.
- Water: regularly the first season, then rarely. It is very drought tolerant once established.
- Deadheading: removing the first spent clusters encourages a smaller second flush.
Cutting, pods and safety
The long stems make lasting cut flowers, and the seed pods, before or after they open, are useful in dried arrangements with lavender bundles. Milkweeds contain compounds that are toxic if eaten, so keep it as an ornamental and wash your hands after handling the sap. It is very long lived and very hardy in Michigan in well-drained soil.
Frequently asked questions
Is it invasive like common milkweed?
Butterfly weed forms a clump from a taproot rather than spreading by running roots. Remove pods before they open if you do not want seedlings.
How is it offered?
As a full 72-cell plug tray of young starter plugs, ideal for pollinator plantings. See the product page for current availability.
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