Tropical Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica
Also listed as Asclepias aurantiaca, Asclepias bicolor
Also known as Bloodflower Milkweed, Scarlet Milkweed, Bloodflower
Climate Match for your location
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Tropical milkweed is a vibrant perennial with orange and red clustered flowers that attract monarchs and other pollinators all season long. It thrives in warm climates and self-seeds readily, making it excellent for butterfly gardens.
Why grow it
Tropical milkweed flowers consistently through warm months, offering longer bloom windows than many native milkweed species in temperate regions. It produces abundant nectar and is a preferred larval host for monarch butterflies. Compared to common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), tropical milkweed grows more compactly and flowers more prolifically, making it useful for smaller spaces or ornamental borders where native species might dominate.
Watch out for
In areas with mild winters, volunteer seedlings from self-sowing can become numerous in subsequent years, requiring management if containment is desired. The plant may decline or die back in cold climates below USDA zone 8, making it better suited to containers in northern regions where it can be overwintered indoors or treated as an annual.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Apocynaceae
Native Range
Central and South America
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Tropical milkweed is a vibrant perennial with orange and red clustered flowers that attract monarchs and other pollinators all season long. It thrives in warm climates and self-seeds readily, making it excellent for butterfly gardens.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Tropical Milkweed grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Tropical milkweed flowers consistently through warm months, offering longer bloom windows than many native milkweed species in temperate regions. It produces abundant nectar and is a preferred larval host for monarch butterflies. Compared to common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), tropical milkweed grows more compactly and flowers more prolifically, making it useful for smaller spaces or ornamental borders where native species might dominate.
Watch out for
In areas with mild winters, volunteer seedlings from self-sowing can become numerous in subsequent years, requiring management if containment is desired. The plant may decline or die back in cold climates below USDA zone 8, making it better suited to containers in northern regions where it can be overwintered indoors or treated as an annual.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Apocynaceae
Native Range
Central and South America
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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