Where the butterfly-weed, like a coal of fire,
Blurs orange-red through bush and brier;
Where the pennyroyal and mint smell sweet,
And blackberries tangle the summer heat,

The old road leads; then crosses the creek,
Where the minnow dartles, a silvery streak;
Where the cows wade deep through the blue-eyed grass,
And the flickering dragonflies gleaming pass.

From "The Road Home" by Madison Cawein

With its striking, dark-orange flower clusters, highly attractive to butterflies, this beautiful wildflower is often grown domestically. A crowd of butterflies can often be seen competing for its nectar. It is especially prized by the Monarch butterfly, whose larvae eat its leaves.

Although it is a member of the Milkweed family, its juice is watery, not milky.

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