Is this tuber a weed?

[DinaJean]

Found this beauty on the side of the road among a patch of (also) orange daylillies. It is a tuber which makes me think it is not a weed. But maybe it is? Does anyone out there know what it is?

[Newt]

It looks like butterfly weed aka butterfly milkweed aka Asclepias tuberosa on steriods!* :shock:* Yours looks much taller then the 2' height that it's supposed to grow to.* I grow swamp milkweed that gets about 3' tall or more.
http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issu...rfly_weed.html
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/W...erflyweed.html

Newt

[DinaJean]

I transplanted this from the ditch in front of my yard to the fence here and it has been 5 days now and obviously it went into transplant shock, but still hasn't revived yet, did I do it in by transplanting during it's flowering stage? Should I cut it back to the ground and hope it comes up next year?

[Newt]

Gosh, the picture is gone.* Butterfly weed is very difficult to transplant as it has a long taproot.* It's best to transplant when plants aren't in bloom as that requires alot of energy from the plant.* Removing the blooms would be a good idea, but don't cut the stem to the ground as the leaves make food for the tuber and roots. You shouldn't see any of the characteristic white sap with this variety when you cut the stem. Here's more info about these plants.
http://www.holoweb.com/cannon/butterfl.htm
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek030622.html

Newt