Asclepias curassavica ~ Red Milkweed

Asclepias curassavica ~ Red MilkweedRed Milkweed is a tender erect perennial often grown as an annual with narrow whorled lance like leaves. Clusters of attractive small flowers with orange red lower petals and raised yellow central petals bloom in late summer into fall. Performs best in full sun and moist well drained soils. The milky sap released from damaged stems is very toxic if ingested. Type: Perennial Origins: C. and S. America, and the Caribbean Height: 2 3 Spread: 1 2 Spacing:

Red Milkweed is a tender erect perennial often grown as an annual with narrow whorled lance-like leaves.  Clusters of attractive small flowers with orange-red lower petals and raised yellow central petals bloom in late summer into fall.  Performs best in full sun and moist well-drained soils.  The milky sap released from damaged stems is very toxic if ingested. 

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance plant.  No serious disease or pest issues.  Watch for aphids, which can lead to sooty mold if untreated.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Rock Gardens, Meadows, and Containers

COMPANION PLANTS: Seaside Oats, Tickseed, Aster

IMAGES: Photo by Proven Winners, Red Tropical Milkweed, (2) JMK, Asclepias curassavica, bloeiwyse en vrugte, Manie van der Schijff BT, CC BY-SA 3.0, (3) H. Zell, Asclepias curassavica 003, CC BY-SA 3.0, (4) Lauren Gutierrez, Asclepias curassavica, (5) Matthieu Sontag, Asclepias curassavica - Jardin d'Éden, CC BY-SA 3.0

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.