The bulbous milkweed is a real asset to any garden. Its flowers not only delight the hobby gardener, but also butterflies and bees.
The Asclepias tuberosa, also known as tuberous milkweed, belongs to the dog family and is known as an ornamental perennial. It owes its popularity to the large, orange-yellow umbels of flowers, which clearly distinguish it from other perennials. The intensely colored flowers ensure that it is often used in the garden as a color accent, whereby it can be planted both in beds and in borders. The upright growth with a height of up to 100 cm is typical for the tuberous milkweed.
Origin of the Bulbous Milkweed
The bulbous milkweed is native to North America. Here it occurs in northern Mexico, in almost all states of the USA and in southeastern Canada. The wild plant grows along roads and in other areas influenced by humans. It prefers stony, relatively dry soil and sunny locations.
| Tuber milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | Upright leafy peduncles, clump-forming |
| Growth: | 50 - 100 cm |
| Growth: | 45 - 50 cm |
| Flowering: | June to August |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | dry, permeable, likes warmth |
Visual Characteristics of the Bulbous Milkweed
Due to its striking appearance, the bulbous milkweed is a particularly popular ornamental fruit. Several stalks grow from the taproot as early as spring. If you look closely, you can see the delicate hairs on the stems. Only in the flower area do the stems finally branch out to then carry the numerous umbels.
The garden perennial forms its narrow foliage very quickly. This develops a glossy green appearance. The leaves always grow alternately. With their shiny green, they draw all attention to the flowers, which stand out clearly with the intensely colored orange-yellow.
Flowers ofBulbous Milkweed
The flower is the most distinctive feature of the bulbous milkweed. The first flowering period, in which the umbels form, begins as early as June. The flowers usually last well into August. The change between summer green and orange-yellow is what makes the bulbous milkweed so charming and makes it a decorative element in the garden. The corolla reaches a size of five to a maximum of ten centimeters. In addition to the color, the special features include the fragrance, which attracts numerous insects in the garden and in turn makes the bulbous milkweed an integral part of the bee pasture.
In addition to bees, butterflies and bumblebees also have a fondness for this plant. Especially the attraction to butterflies contributes to the fact that the ornamental perennial is very often planted near the terrace. In late summer, the bulbous milkweed can no longer be recognized by its flowers, but by its follicles. These are relatively long and thus stand out clearly from the rest of the plant. The follicles bear the distinctive seeds, which are covered with a fairly light tuft of hair.
The right location for the bulbous milkweed
Under ideal conditions, the bulbous milkweed grows up to 50 centimeters wide. For this, the popular ornamental perennial needs a sunny and equally warm location with permeable soil. Loamy or sandy soil is ideal, in which it develops very well. On the other hand, you must avoid waterlogging, because the tuberous milkweed cannot cope with this.
Once it has found the right spot in the garden, care is manageable and not particularly complicated. A clear pruning in autumn is important. The bulbous milkweed is not one of the hardy perennials and must therefore be protected from the cold. For safe overwintering, the roots are simply covered with fir branches and brushwood. These are removed again in spring so that the bulbous milkweed can sprout fresh.
Planting Bulbous Milkweed
The perennial is best planted in March and April. Sufficiently large planting holes are important here, in which the earth is finally firmly pressed down again.
In principle, it can be planted in raised beds, but is also suitable for rock gardens. In the arrangement with grasses and other perennials, several specimens of the bulbous milkweed are usually planted. A group of four to a maximum of five specimens is ideal. It is important to keep a distance of around 50 cm so thatthe plants can develop as well as possible.
Tip: The bulbous milkweed is a perennial herb. So once it is anchored in the garden, it enriches the planting there for several years.
Versatile combinable lover's perennial
Due to its flowering, the bulbous milkweed is one of the favorite perennials of German gardeners and is used in a variety of ways. It is very popular in city gardens, but has also proven itself in arrangements with other plants in wild or natural gardens. During the flowering period, the perennial is often used as a cut plant and is used in flower arrangements.