Asclepias 'Hello Yellow'

One of the finest native American perennials, asclepias brighten the mid- to late-summer sunny garden with massive bloom heads, followed by handsome seedpods that are unequalled in dried arrangements. Now this coppery-orange species has a bright yellow cousin with the same great drought resistance, free blooming habit, and irresistible appeal to butterflies and bees.

Asclepias 'Hello Yellow' is just about the sunniest color we've ever seen outside a Marigold. The 3-inch flowerheads are simply jammed with blooms, and as they open, the butterflies and bees begin arriving. Asclepias 'Hello Yellow' contains an essential food for monarch butterflies, and apparently everything else with two wings finds it yummy as well.

Asclepias 'Hello Yellow' reaches about 2 feet tall and wide, a nice size for the mixed border, blazing bed, or patio specimen. Unforgettable in a mass planting, it spreads its glory over many months. The blooms are followed by seedpods that can be left on the plant (where they dry, sprout "wings," and blow away) or cut for indoor arrangements. The blooms are also good in fresh or dried displays, with good color retention and stiff texture.

Like most plants, Asclepias 'Hello Yellow' is happiest in well-drained soils, but it will put up with a lot of hardship, including poor, dry soil and long periods of drought. It needs full sun and plenty of it to reach its peak performance. Hardy just about anywhere in the U.S., from Maine to Georgia. Zones 3-9.