Asclepias curassavica
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- as-KLEE-pee-as kur-a-SA-vih-ka
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Tropical Milkweed is a tender erect perennial often grown as an annual. It can be weedy in disturbed areas and is often found naturalized in waste places, roadsides, or fields. Bright orange-red flowers form in clusters on top of leaves and stems that have a milky juice when damaged. Plant it in the full sun in moist, fertile, well-drained soil. It will reach a height of 4 feet and a spread of 2 feet.
This plant is not recommended for attracting Monarch Butterflies because they can bloom out of sync with Monarch migration patterns and hold them too long in one area affecting their populations. Plant one of the native milkweeds instead.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Davidson County Demo Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Red Butterfly'
- 'Silky Gold'
- 'Red Butterfly'
- 'Red Butterfly', 'Silky Gold'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Red Butterfly'
- 'Silky Gold'
- 'Red Butterfly'
- 'Red Butterfly', 'Silky Gold'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Asclepias
- Species:
- curassavica
- Family:
- Apocynaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico to Tropical America
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts hummingbirds, bees, and moths.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Poisonous
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Description:
- fruit dry and inflated, erect follicle and with many hair-tufted seeds
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Brilliant orange-red with yellow flowers in clusters; 5-parted
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Opposite
- Whorled
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- leaves simple, alternate, opposite, or whorled, narrow
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Hummingbirds
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
