Botanical Name: Asclepias curassavica
Common Name: Butterfly weed Type of Plant: dicot: annual Character evergreen Habit of Growth: Overall Shape a very loosely-constructed plant, with slender stems rising and spreading to form a fairly rangy, open, loosely rounded shape; stems are conspicuously jointed at the nodes and have milky sap Height 3' - 4' Spread equal or more Growth Rate rapid Environment: Exposure outdoors prefers warm sunny locations - avoid heavy shade Soil tolerates most, including clay Hardiness fairly hardy (zones 14-24): plant more shrubby in mild-climate areas Morphology: Leaves pinnate, opposite, narrowly elliptic-lanceolate; medium green, 3"-5" long; margins entire to slightly wavey Flowers red with orange centers, small, borne on mostly terminal umbels; April - September Fruit a tiny capsule Propagation: softwood cuttings Usage: valued as a vigorous, loose filler for subtropical and tropical gardens - produces its unusual and showy flowers for several months Landscape Care: Watering prefers regular; tolerates heavy irrigation - will survive short periods of drought Fertilizing little is required Pruning head back strongly and thin after blooming season is done Pests/Diseases relatively free Origin: tropical South America Family: Asclepiadaceae Notes: |
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