Flower profile
Tropical milkweed
Asclepias curassavica
Tropical milkweed is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in January–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Florida
Quick look
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. Other common names include bloodflower or blood flower, cotton bush, hierba de la cucaracha, Mexican butterfly weed, redhead, scarlet milkweed, and wild ipecacuanha.
- It belongs to the Apocynaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 6 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Florida. NatureServe
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 4,484 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #49 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
Tropical milkweed gift ideas
Handmade tropical milkweed gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Tropical milkweed art print
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Tropical milkweed greeting card
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Tropical milkweed mug
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Tropical milkweed earrings
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Tropical milkweed embroidery pattern
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Tropical milkweed sticker
When does it bloom?
In Florida, most flowering sightings come in January–December.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Florida
- Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: bark, flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “Can cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, lethargy, and confusion if eaten in quantity. Milky sap can cause contact dermatitis and eye irritation” NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Milkweed” (Asclepias species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Vomiting, profound depression, weakness, anorexia, and diarrhea are common; may be followed by seizures, difficulty breathing, rapid, weak pulse, dilated pupils, kidney or liver failure, coma… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records tropical milkweed in 6 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas.
Florida counties with USDA records: Broward, Citrus, DeSoto, Hendry, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, St. Lucie.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ASCU.
- iNaturalist, Asclepias curassavica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Asclepias curassavica (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
- Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Asclepias curassavica (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Thomas Koffel via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.