Butterfly Weed is a perennial grown for its orange blooms, which open in mid summer and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10, shrugs off deer and shrugs off dry spells. Its mid summer flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and moths.
Zones
4-10
pH Range
4.5-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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What Butterfly Weed is
Butterfly Weed grows as a perennial and reaches around two feet at maturity. It blooms orange in mid summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Weed grows in USDA zones 4 through 10. Butterfly Weed does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 120 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
4-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
53.6°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
2 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
120+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant butterfly weed in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Butterfly Weed prefers pH 4.5 to 7.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut butterfly weed blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — butterfly weed is toxic to dogs and cats (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Butterfly Weed is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Butterfly Weed thrives
Butterfly Weed is hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 4–10·Where Butterfly Weed growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Butterfly Weed can grow in these states:
See if Butterfly Weed will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether butterfly weed actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Butterfly Weed in my zone?
Butterfly Weed grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Butterfly Weed?
Most growers plant butterfly weed after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 120-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Butterfly Weed need?
Butterfly Weed needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Butterfly Weed need?
Butterfly Weed prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Butterfly Weed attract pollinators?
Yes — butterfly weed's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and moths (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Butterfly Weed safe for pets?
Butterfly Weed is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency.