Asclepias curassavica aka Tropical Milkweed

Asclepias curassavica, also known as tropical milkweed or blood flower, is a flowering plant species native to the American tropics. It has a pantropical distribution as an introduced species and is grown as an ornamental garden plant. This upright evergreen sub-shrub features lance-shaped leaves and produces umbel-like clusters of orange-red flowers measuring 2cm across. These blooms appear in summer and autumn, sometimes followed by erect, ovoid fruit that can reach lengths of 6-8cm. While it serves as a food source for certain butterflies, including the queen, the use of tropical milkweed in gardens outside of its native range can be harmful to the migration patterns of monarch butterflies. Unlike native milkweed species, tropical milkweed does not go dormant in winter, which disrupts monarch migrations and leads to the formation of non-migratory butterfly groups. It is therefore recommended to use native milkweed species, such as showy milkweed, narrowleaf milkweed, and desert milkweed, in butterfly gardens. Additionally, it should be noted that tropical milkweed can be toxic to livestock.