Oswego tea plants produce tufted red flowers concentrated primarily at the end of each stem with a bloom period of at least a month. Deadheading (the removal of dying flowers) can extend the bloom period even longer. For gardeners who appreciate hot (some might say clashing) color in the garden, plant oswego tea next to butterfly milkweed.

Powdery mildew can be a serious problem with oswego tea. A natural cross M. didyma 'Jacob Cline' is a mildew and rust resistant cultivar of oswego tea. It also has the potential to grow much taller than the species, up to six feet in some cases.

Importance as a caterpillar food source: Oswego tea is not used as a caterpillar food source.

Importance as a butterfly nectar source: A wide variety of butterflies find oswego tea an attractive nectar source.