Asclepias curassavica, commonly known as tropical milkweed, is a flowering plant species of the milkweed genus, Asclepias. It is native to the American tropics and has a pantropical distribution as an introduced species.
Asclepias curassavica, commonly called blood flower, is a tender evergreen perennial in the dogbane and milkweed family. It is native to South America, but has naturalized worldwide in many tropical and subtropical areas. It typically grows as a subshrub to 2-3’ tall on upright stems clad with pointed, opposite, lanceolate leaves (to 6” long). Leaves are medium green sometimes with white midribs. Showy flowers with five sepals and five lobes appear in rounded axillary clusters (cymes) in late spring to early summer. Flowers are red-orange with yellow hoods. Flowering continues throughout the summer to early autumn. Plants can be poisonous to livestock. Additional common names for this plant include tropical milkweed, scarlet milkweed, swallow wort, Indian root and matal.
