How to Grow Pleurisy Root

Pleurisy root is a good addition to a butterfly garden.

Pleurisy root is a common name for a perennial wildflower plant whose scientific name is Asclepias tuberosa. Another name for it is butterfly weed. Whatever it is called, it has been used in alternative medicine to remedy such diverse maladies as rheumatism, diarrhea and congestion. It directly soothes lung discomfort, which is why it is called pleurisy root. A base of the plant produces multiple stems about 3 feet high with clusters of flowers from pale yellow to orange to red. The blooms usually appear from late June through August, depending on the location. The best climate is USDA zones 3 through 9.

Things You'll Need

• Claw tool or other gardening hand tools
• Mulch
• General purpose fertilizer
• Spade
• Seed tray
• Soil-less seeding medium

Instructions

1. Plant pleurisy root seeds in the fall. It is necessary that the seeds experience a period of cold before they germinate. Providing a period of cold weather for the seeds is known as stratification.

2. Choose a location that is in full sun. The soil should be well-drained.

3. Work the soil into a fine texture with a gardening claw tool or other gardening hand tool. Sow seeds about 3/8 inch deep and about 12 inches apart. Press gently. In the spring, seeds will germinate in 14 to 21 days when the weather warms up.

4. Water the pleurisy root when the soil dries out. Keep the soil generally medium moist to dry. Mulch the area around the pleurisy root if the soil retains too little moisture between waterings. Weed the garden periodically. Pleurisy root does not usually require fertilization because it is a wildflower. However, you can apply general purpose fertilizer lightly if it shows signs of stress. Follow the directions on the fertilizer label.

5. Harvest pleurisy root after at least two to three years of growing. It will take some time for the root to grow to a size that makes it worth the harvest. Dig up the large, main taproot of pleurisy root with a spade after the flowers have wilted and produced seeds. You can also wait until early spring to harvest roots from the previous growing season.

Tips & Warnings

• Start the seeds in the early spring instead of in late fall by planting them in a flat seed tray in soil-less seeding medium. Place the tray in the refrigerator for about four weeks. Remove to a warmer location for germination. Transplant seedlings to the garden when the first set of true leaves has appeared and all danger of frost is past. The first set of true leaves is actually the second set of leaves to appear. The first set is embryonic leaves.

• Pleurisy root flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators such as hummingbirds. Therefore, they are a good addition to a butterfly garden. Plant with similar native wildflowers such as purple or yellow coneflower, Missouri primrose or showy goldenrod.

References

• Heirloom Organics: How to Grow Pleurisy Root
• EasyLiving Wildflowers: Asclepias Tuberosa