Asclepias curasssavica
Family: Asclepiadaceae
Plant Description: Perennial herb to 28 inches tall. Leaves opposite, blades ovate up to 11 cm long. Flowers clustered together, bright orange red with yellow centers (some plants with all yellow flowers; corolla lobes up to 10 mm long
Plant Trivia: Introduced from Tropical America. Generally, it is an escaped cultivar in our area. Planted to attract Monarch and Queen butterflies. Like other milkweeds, it secretes a thick, milky sap when damaged. Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine is the genus name origin, because some species are used for their medicinal properties.
Field Identification:
Occurrence: Mostly in planted home gardens and bird and butterfly gardens
Bloom Period: Spring-Summer
Plant Use: Decorative and butterfly host plant
stxflora 