Tropical Milkweed

Asclepias curassavica “Tropical Milkweed”

Price range: $4.50 through $11.00

** Often naturalized, but use with caution **

The Flaming Milkweed of the Tropics

A blaze of orange, red, and gold ignites the garden when Asclepias curassavica, or tropical milkweed, comes into bloom. Each upright stem is crowned with tight clusters of bicolor flowers — brilliant scarlet hoods encircling golden crowns — like miniature suns orbiting a fiery core. Beneath the blooms, slender lance-shaped leaves flutter in the breeze, a perfect backdrop for the jewel-toned flowers and visiting butterflies.

Native to Central and South America, this milkweed is a favorite nectar source for monarchs and other pollinators. It’s easy to grow, blooms prolifically from spring to frost, and thrives in both containers and borders. But with its beauty comes a responsibility: unlike native milkweeds, tropical milkweed can flower year-round in warm climates, disrupting monarch migration patterns and increasing the spread of the OE parasite (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha).

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Description

🌿 Why ‘Tropical Milkweed’ Captivates

  • Continuous blooms — bright flowers from early summer to frost.
  • Monarch magnet — host plant and nectar source for butterflies.
  • Compact & versatile — suitable for gardens, containers, and cut flowers.
  • Low maintenance — heat-loving and drought-tolerant once established.
  • Vibrant color — unmatched tropical hues in the milkweed family.

 

🌞 Care Guide for Responsible Growing

  • Light: Full sun for strongest color and bloom production.
  • Soil: Well-drained loam or sandy soil; tolerates average fertility.
  • Watering: Moderate; water deeply when soil is dry.
  • Spacing: 12–18 inches apart.
  • Feeding: Light, balanced fertilizer in early summer.
  • Pruning:
    • Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering.
    • Important: In October (or before frost in cooler climates), cut plants to the ground to break monarch parasite cycles and encourage fresh growth in spring.
  • Hardiness: Perennial in zones 9–11; grown as an annual elsewhere.

 

⚠️ A Note of Caution for Monarch Health ⚠️

While A. curassavica is undeniably beautiful, its tendency to persist into winter can keep monarchs from migrating and allow parasites to build up. The October cutback is not optional — it’s an essential act of stewardship to keep butterfly populations healthy.

Additional information

Size

4” Size, 1-Gallon Size

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